History of the domestic sheep History of the domestic sheep The history of the domesticated sheep goes back to between 11000 and 9000 BC, and the domestication of the wild mouflon in ancient Mesopotamia. Sheep are among the first animals to have been domesticated by humans, and there is evidence of sheep farming in Iranian statuary dating to that time period. These sheep were primarily raised for meat, milk, and skins. Woolly sheep began to be developed around 6000 BC in Iran, and cultures such as the Persians relied on sheep's wool for trading. They were then imported to Africa and Europe via trading. The
Wild horse stock from which domesticated horses are descended. The horse family Equidae and the genus "Equus" evolved in North America, before the species moved into the Eastern Hemisphere. Studies using ancient DNA, as well as DNA of recent individuals, show the presence of two closely related horse species in North America, the wild horse and "Haringtonhippus francisci", the "New World stilt-legged horse"; the latter has been taxonomically assigned to various names. Currently, three subspecies that lived during recorded human history are recognized. One subspecies is the widespread domestic horse ("Equus ferus caballus"), as well as two wild subspecies: the recently extinct