Southwest Asian domestic animals and plants in Africa: routes, timing and cultural implications

Domestic wheats, barley, caprines, and probably some cattle were imported in Africa from Southwest Asia beginning from the late 7th millennium BC and from other places on the central and/or western European Mediterranean coasts. The lack of wild ancestors of several domestic animals (e.g., caprines and pigs) and plants (e.g., wheats and barley) in Africa may appear as an advantage to trace the timing, routes, and cultural implications of the spread of Southwest Asian domesticates in the African continent. These domestic species were introduced in the social and economic organization of African communities who were parallelly attempting to domesticate some of their endemic wild species (e.g., aurochs, sorghum, pearl millet, and other plants.