Yak Domestication: A Review of Linguistic, Archaeological, and Genetic Evidence

Yak, a species of bovid uniquely adapted to high-altitude environments, plays critical role in the life inhabitants Tibetan Plateau and neighboring areas. There is currently no consensus on when these animals may have been domesticated. In this paper, we review archaeological, genetic, linguistic evidence relevant question, suggest that domestication took place following hybridization with taurine cattle from end fourth millennium BCE. This study also shows original domesticators yaks included not only ancestors Tibetans, but Rgyalrongic speaking people Eastern Tibet.