When did humans begin to drink milk? Tracing the origins of dairy consumption

November 24, 2025 •

4 min read

Approximately 10,000 years ago, following the domestication of animals, humans began to drink milk from sources other than their mothers. This shift from a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a settled agricultural one fundamentally altered the human diet and evolution, answering the question of when did humans begin to drink milk.

Quick Summary

Dairying emerged during the Neolithic period with animal domestication around 10,000 years ago. Early consumption involved processed products like cheese or yogurt, with a genetic mutation enabling widespread digestion of fresh milk evolving much later.

Key Points

Dairying began around 10,000 years ago: Human milk consumption from other species started in the Neolithic Revolution, coinciding with the domestication of animals like goats, sheep, and cattle.
Early consumption was of processed dairy: Because most early humans were lactose intolerant, they initially consumed processed dairy products like cheese, yogurt, and fermented milk, which have lower lactose levels.
Archaeological evidence includes pottery and dental plaque: The timeline is pieced together using lipid residues on ancient pottery and milk proteins found preserved in human dental calculus.
Lactase persistence is a recent genetic mutation: The ability for adults to digest fresh milk is a genetic adaptation that evolved independently in different populations over the last 10,000 years.
The spread of dairying was a global phenomenon: The practice spread from its origins in the Middle East to Europe, Africa, and Asia, where different cultures adapted to local dairy animals.
Environmental factors played a role: In cooler northern climates, fresh milk stored longer, potentially favoring the rapid spread of lactase persistence.
Milk offered a significant survival advantage: For pastoralist communities, particularly during famines or harsh winters, access to milk was a vital source of energy and nutrients.

The Dawn of Dairying: The Neolithic Revolution

For most of human history, stretching over hundreds of thousands of years, milk consumption was limited to infancy. The revolutionary change came with the advent of the Neolithic Revolution, roughly 10,000 years ago, when humans began domesticating animals rather than just hunting them. The fertile crescent of the Middle East was a key starting point, where animals such as goats, sheep, and eventually cattle were first domesticated. These animals were initially used for meat and hides, but early agricultural communities soon recognized their potential for providing a continuous source of food through their milk.

Early Evidence from Pottery and Proteins

Archaeological evidence provides the most compelling answers about when and where humans began to exploit milk. The analysis of ancient artifacts has revealed traces of dairy fats preserved for millennia. The earliest evidence of dairy use comes from pottery fragments found in what is now northwestern Anatolia (Turkey), dating back approximately 8,500 to 9,000 years ago. Scientists found milk lipid residues on these ancient pots, indicating that humans were processing dairy long before a widespread genetic adaptation for digestion existed.

In a more recent breakthrough, researchers analyzing dental calculus (calcified plaque) from ancient human remains in Britain found milk proteins dating back as far as 6,000 years ago. This direct evidence from human skeletons confirms that dairy consumption was a widespread dietary practice for Neolithic communities. Similar findings have emerged from prehistoric Africa, with dental plaque evidence showing goat milk consumption as far back as 6,000 years ago. This demonstrates that the practice of dairying arose independently in multiple locations across the globe.

The Lactose Dilemma: Fermentation Before Tolerance

Before a significant portion of the human population evolved the ability to digest the sugar lactose in adulthood, most people would have experienced unpleasant symptoms from drinking raw milk. Like other mammals, ancient humans would naturally cease producing the lactase enzyme after weaning. However, this did not stop early farmers from capitalizing on milk's nutritional value. Instead, they developed ingenious methods for processing milk to reduce its lactose content. Fermenting milk was a primary strategy, as bacteria consume the lactose, making it much easier to digest.

Products of Early Dairying

Early dairy products likely included:

Yogurt and kefir: Formed by the natural fermentation of milk by bacteria, which reduces the lactose content significantly.
Cheese: The process of making cheese involves separating the milk solids (curds) from the liquid whey, which contains most of the lactose. Evidence for cheese-making has been found on perforated pottery from the Neolithic period.
Fermented mare's milk (Kumiss): Consumed by Central Asian herding peoples, such as the Mongols, for centuries, providing essential vitamins.
Butter: Created by churning milk or cream, which separates the liquid (buttermilk) from the fat. Butter has a very low lactose content.

The Genetic Leap: Evolution of Lactase Persistence

The ability for some adults to digest fresh milk, known as lactase persistence, is a relatively recent genetic mutation that evolved in response to the cultural practice of dairying. This trait represents a powerful example of gene-culture co-evolution. It provided a significant survival advantage, especially during periods of famine, as it offered a safe and nutrient-rich food source.

Based on ancient DNA analysis, the lactase persistence allele became more common in Europe over time, but it was still rare in the Neolithic period. Multiple independent mutations for lactase persistence arose in different pastoralist populations across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East over the last 10,000 years. The rapid spread of this trait highlights the strong selective pressure in favor of milk consumption.

Comparative Consumption: Early vs. Modern Dairy


Aspect	Early Dairy Consumption (Neolithic/Bronze Age)	Modern Dairy Consumption (Post-Industrial)
Primary Source	Goats, sheep, cattle, buffalo, reindeer, camels	Predominantly cow's milk in most Western countries
Primary Form	Mostly processed products like cheese and yogurt	Predominantly liquid milk, but also extensive processed goods
Digestibility	Limited to those with the rare lactase persistence gene	Widespread lactase persistence in many populations; products exist for intolerant individuals
Storage	Animal skins, pottery vessels, fermentation	Refrigeration, pasteurization, and industrial processing
Significance	Survival food, especially during lean seasons; cultural and ritual use	Everyday commodity, key part of diet, and industry

A Global Phenomenon: The Spread of Dairying

The adoption of dairying spread globally, but the timeline and cultural significance varied. From the fertile crescent, the practice moved into Europe, reaching Britain and Scandinavia by 4000 BC. The cooler climate in northern latitudes extended the shelf life of raw milk, likely contributing to the rapid increase of lactase persistence in these regions.

In Africa, dairying also took hold, with some cattle domesticated independently around 7000–6000 BC. Pastoral nomadic economies, built around herding animals for their products rather than just for meat, emerged across Eurasia and Africa, profoundly shaping cultures. Different populations adapted to their local livestock; for instance, many central Asian societies utilized mares' milk, while African pastoralists depended on camels or cattle.

Conclusion: Milk's Lasting Legacy

So, when did humans begin to drink milk? It wasn't a single event but a long, complex process beginning around 10,000 years ago during the Neolithic Revolution, sparked by the domestication of animals. Early consumption was largely of processed dairy to avoid lactose intolerance. Over thousands of years, a remarkable genetic mutation spread through different populations, enabling many adults to digest fresh milk. This adaptation provided a crucial source of nutrition and energy, with milk and dairy products becoming woven into the cultural fabric of societies worldwide. The ability to consume milk is a testament to the powerful interplay between human culture, diet, and evolution.

The evolution of lactase persistence and milk consumption in humans

Frequently Asked Questions

The earliest evidence comes from lipid residue analysis on ancient pottery found in northwestern Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), dating back approximately 8,500 to 9,000 years ago. Later evidence includes milk proteins discovered in human dental plaque from Britain and Africa, confirming consumption between 6,000 to 4,000 years ago.

Due to widespread lactose intolerance in ancient populations, early humans predominantly consumed processed forms of dairy, such as cheese and yogurt. Fermentation and processing reduce the lactose content, making it digestible for people without lactase persistence.

The first animals domesticated and used for milk were likely goats and sheep, followed closely by cattle. Archaeological findings suggest that early farmers milked these species in the Middle East and Africa.

Some human populations developed a genetic mutation known as lactase persistence, which allows the production of the lactase enzyme to continue past childhood. This adaptation evolved independently in different dairying communities in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, conferring a significant survival advantage.

Lactase persistence is not universal. It is more prevalent in populations with a long history of dairying, such as northern Europeans and certain African pastoralist groups. However, globally, roughly two-thirds of adults are lactose intolerant.

Milk consumption provided a high-energy, nutrient-rich food source that could sustain populations, especially during times of famine. The ability to digest fresh milk (lactase persistence) is a powerful example of gene-culture co-evolution, showing how cultural practices can drive genetic change.

Humans began drinking milk following the domestication of livestock during the Neolithic Revolution. Milking animals offered a consistent, renewable source of food that was especially valuable in supporting sedentary, agricultural communities and providing nutrition during lean seasons.