Final answer:
The earliest evidence for goat herding dates to about 12,000 years ago, associated with the start of agriculture in the Fertile Crescent. From there, herding spread to various parts of Europe over several millennia.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Earliest Evidence of Goat Herding
The earliest evidence of goat herding can be traced back to approximately 12,000 years ago. This period marks the advent of agriculture in various parts of the world, with domestication of animals being a significant part of this development. The emergence of agriculture and goat domestication took place in the Fertile Crescent, an expanse of high country extending from Greece to south of the Caspian Sea. Here, the earliest domestication of goats and sheep occurred alongside the cultivation of staple crops such as wheat and barley, signaling the beginning of agro-pastoral societies.
By 6,000 to 7,000 years ago, farming practices, including goat herding, spread northward from the Middle East to regions like southern Germany and Holland. Further expansion through Spain and Switzerland eventually led to the practice reaching Britain by about 4,500 years ago. The domestication of animals, including goats, thus played an instrumental role in shaping human civilizations and the development of early agricultural communities.