The ancestors of the pig were wild boars. The history of the domestication of this animal in different countries of the world is described in popular science literature.

In Europe, after the dog, the pig became the first domestic animal. Pig skulls with clear signs of domestication were found next to dog bones. Another place where pigs were domesticated was East Asia.

Why were pigs trained to follow the dog? First of all, pigs are omnivores. They are not difficult to feed. Secondly, they grow quickly and are very prolific. For our ancestors, these animals became a living storehouse of meat. The Danes, grateful to the pig, their nurse, erected a monument to her in the city of Orfus.

The domestication of pigs became possible only with a sedentary lifestyle of people. It is natural that in the distant past, pig farming developed in forest and forest-steppe zones, where natural conditions were favorable for breeding these animals.

Pigs were almost never raised in the steppes, so it is no coincidence that the religions of the steppe peoples, ancient Jews and Muslims forbade eating pork “from unusual foreign animals.” The pig is mentioned in the Pentateuch (the religious book of the Jews) among the unclean animals: “meat is forbidden, because although the pig has a cloven hoof, it does not chew the cud.” When explaining the reason for rejection, they most often refer to the presence of parasites.

In Ancient Egypt, a pig eating its piglets was a symbol of the sky goddess Nut, whose children - the stars - disappear in the morning and are born again in the evening. There were many pigs in this country, but even there they were considered unclean animals. Swineherds and pig breeders were prohibited from entering the temples.

The northern Mediterranean coast was also one of the areas where pigs were domesticated. The myths of Ancient Greece talk a lot about hunting wild boars. Boar hunting was often depicted on vases and sarcophagi.

The pigs of Greece of the heroic era were not yet tame and grazed in the wooded mountains, so a certain courage was required from the people guarding them, so among the Greeks pig breeding was an honorable occupation.

Pig farming was well developed in Ancient Rome, where pigs were considered sacrificial animals. When getting married, noble people sacrificed a pig to the gods, which was considered the emblem of the wedding. They saw in her the great power of multiple births, a symbol of a large family. The Romans had very high technology for breeding pigs. The piglets were trained to come to the sound of the horn, they were fed with barley, so that the entire herd, scattered throughout the forest, gathered at the signal.

Another area where pigs were domesticated was East Asia. In China, pigs began to be bred no later than 2000 BC. Pig farming has become especially widespread among the Buddhist population of Japan and India.

In Russia, pig farming has traditionally been practiced for a long time. The pig was valued as an unpretentious and valuable animal. “There is no animal more useful than a pig; it eats anything and produces lard,” “If there is a pig, there will be bristles,” say Russian proverbs.

In ancient cultures, a pig was considered a symbol of fertility and prosperity, but in our country a pig, first of all, is a symbol of uncleanliness. "Pig!" – ten out of ten people will sometimes exclaim without thinking when talking about an unkempt person, but there is no reason for such a statement. The pig is cleaner than other farm animals. She distinguishes three areas on her territory: the bedroom, the dining room and the restroom.

People say about a person with bad habits who always finds an opportunity to show them: “A pig will find dirt.” Is this fair to the animal itself? No. The pig is surprisingly neat. The amount of dirt on it is directly proportional to the laziness and carelessness of the owner. “A good housewife has a pig like a picture.”

But a dirty pig on the street in the summer is another matter. The ancestor of this animal is an inhabitant of damp, cool places. In the heat, swimming in puddles is a must for a pig. First of all, a pig puddle is like a cool bath. Secondly, it is also a mud bath, which has a beneficial effect on the skin, relieving dermatitis and eczema. And a hard shell made of dried mud protects the pig from flies and horseflies. She cannot escape from them in other ways: her neck is short, her tail is small, and her skin is inactive.

“A pig doesn’t care about piglets if they scorch him” (NO one cares about anyone when he himself is having a hard time). In fact, pigs are very caring mothers, calm and businesslike. Their main concern is feeding their children. The pig feeds the piglets not when she wants it, but when the piglet “asks her for it” with his squeals and grunts.

Scientists have always paid and continue to pay close attention to the pig. In many physiological indicators, it is closer to humans than a monkey. The structure of the skin is especially striking. The pig is the only animal that sunbathes. Biochemist William Douglas from Copenhagen wrote: “The pig is almost a man.”

Naturalist Kent Britt, who studied the behavior and biology of pigs for more than ten years, argued: “If a dog is submissive, a cat is hypocritical, a monkey is treacherous, then pig behavior comes from understanding the situation: it responds to kindness and affection with devotion, and tries not to remain in debt.”

Conclusions:

• in ancient times, the peoples of the world had different attitudes towards pigs, but the overwhelming majority had a positive attitude;
• scientists around the world believed and still believe that this animal, in many physiological indicators, is closer to humans than any other animal.

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