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PMID: 41314212 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Historical Article

The late arrival of domestic cats in China via the Silk Road after 3,500 years of human-leopard cat commensalism.

Cell genomics ·Vol. 6 ·No. 1 ·2026-01-14 ·页码 101099

Han Y, Hu S, Liu K, Xu X, Li Z, Doherty S, Jamieson AE, Manin A, Martins SG, Yang M, Yu C, Wang J, Wu Z, Chen C, Han S, Lu D, Peng L, Wu X, Fan W, Cai Q, Cui Z, Yuan J, Li Z, Liu Y, Li Z, Liu Z, Ma Q, Shao J, Sun Z, Xing F, Yang W, Yang S, Yue L, Zhang P, Wang W, Zhang-Zheng H, Zhuang Y, Sun X, Pan Y, Wu X, Frantz LAF, Yu H, Alves JM, Larson G, Luo SJ

Abstract

To trace the history of human-cat interactions and the arrival of domestic cats (Felis catus) in East Asia, we analyzed 22 small felid bones excavated from 14 archaeological sites across China spanning 5,000 years. Genomic and radiocarbon evidence revealed that commensal leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis) appeared in anthropogenic environments at least 5,400 years ago and persisted until 150 CE. After a gap of several centuries, the earliest known domestic cat in China (c. 730 CE), reconstructed as a fully or partially white cat, was identified in Shaanxi during the Tang Dynasty. Genomic analysis combining 130 modern and ancient Eurasian cat specimens suggested an origin of Chinese domestic cats from the Levant and a likely merchant-mediated dispersal via the Silk Road. Commensal leopard cats and domestic cats once independently inhabited ancient human settlements in China but followed divergent sociocultural paths with only domestic cats becoming fully domesticated and globally introduced.

Keywords
Silk Road ancient China ancient DNA domestic cats human-leopard cat commensalism leopard cats
MeSH 主题词
Animals Cats/genetics Humans Archaeology China Fossils History, Ancient Phylogeny
作者与单位
共 45 位作者,点击展开单位 / ORCID
Han Yu
The State Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Modulation Research, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; The Palaeogenomics & Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Hu Songmei
Institute of Cultural Heritage, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China; Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China.
Liu Ke
The State Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Modulation Research, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Xu Xiao
The State Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Modulation Research, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Li Ziyi
Archaeology and Conservation Scientific Research Institute, National Centre for Archaeology, Beijing 100020, China.
Doherty Sean
Department of Archaeology and History, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QE, UK.
Jamieson Alexandra Elizabeth
The Palaeogenomics & Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK.
Manin Aurélie
The Palaeogenomics & Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK.
Martins Sofia Granja
The Palaeogenomics & Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK; CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal.
Yang Miaomiao
Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China.
Yu Chong
School of Sociology and Anthropology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510275, China.
Wang Juan
Department for the History of Science and Scientific Archaeology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
Wu Zhuang
School of History and Culture, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, China.
Chen Canping
School of History and Culture, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, China.
Han Sicheng
The State Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Modulation Research, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Lu Daowei
The State Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Modulation Research, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Peng Lanhui
The State Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Modulation Research, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Wu Xianzhu
College of History and Social Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China.
Fan Wenquan
Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology, Zhengzhou, Henan 450099, China.
Cai Quanfa
Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology, Zhengzhou, Henan 450099, China.
Cui Zongliang
Anyang Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology, Anyang, Henan 455000, China.
Yuan Jing
Institute of Archaeological Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Li Zihan
The Palaeogenomics & Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK; Institute of Archaeology, Museology and Chinese Civilization, Nanjing University (Suzhou Campus), Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China.
Liu Yang
School of Sociology and Anthropology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510275, China.
Li Zhipeng
Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
Liu Zhendong
Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
Ma Qian
The Palaeogenomics & Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK; School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Shao Jing
Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China.
Sun Zhouyong
Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China.
Xing Fulai
Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China.
Yang Wuzhan
Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China.
Yang Shugang
Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology, Zhengzhou, Henan 450099, China.
Yue Lianjian
Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China.
Zhang Pengcheng
Yulin Archaeological Exploration Team of Shaanxi Province, Yulin, Shaanxi 719000, China.
Wang Weilin
School of History and Culture, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, China.
Zhang-Zheng Huanyuan
Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK.
Zhuang Yan
The State Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Modulation Research, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Sun Xin
The State Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Modulation Research, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Pan Yan
School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Wu Xiaohong
School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Frantz Laurent A F
The Palaeogenomics & Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK; Palaeogenomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig Maximilian University, 80539 Munich, Germany.
Yu He
The State Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Modulation Research, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
Alves Joel M
The Palaeogenomics & Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK; CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal. Electronic address: [email protected].
Larson Greger
The Palaeogenomics & Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK. Electronic address: [email protected].
Luo Shu-Jin
The State Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Modulation Research, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
Article Info
Journal
Cell genomics
Abbr.
Cell Genom
ISSN
2666-979X
Published
2026-01-14
电子出版
2025-00-27
页码
101099
Language
English
Country/Region
United States
NLM ID
9918284260106676
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