Discovering
the Donkey

The Mysterious Origins of Donkeys
Very little is known about the appearance and territorial development of donkeys.

The Appearance of the First Equids
It is now believed that the first equids appeared during the Pleistocene (around one million years ago).

Species Diversification
Over the course of evolution, three species emerged: horses, donkeys, and zebras, all derived from the Quaternary Equus. Many prehistoric remains of donkey ancestors have indeed been found. Their use by humans, however, came much later.

The Domestication of the Donkey: An Ongoing Debate
According to different authors, the domestication of the donkey predates or follows that of the horse. Some proponents of the earlier theory even suggest it was used by humans during the polished stone age.

To date, no reliable scientific discovery can confirm or refute these theories. It is more accurate to say that donkeys and horses were not originally domesticated in the same geographic areas.

The First Evidence of Domestication
More certainly, the Nubian donkey was domesticated in Lower Egypt over 4,000 years before Christ, and the North African donkey somewhat later.

The Spread of Donkeys in Europe and Worldwide
European donkeys descend from these two subspecies. It is believed they were introduced by the Etruscans migrating from Asia Minor to Italy. The Greeks and Romans acclimated them to Southern Europe. In the 16th century, the Spanish brought them to South America during the great conquests.