Cows (domestic cattle) originate from the domestication of wild aurochs (Bos primigenius), which happened around 10,500 years ago. The domestication took place primarily in the Near East region, specifically in areas including central Anatolia, the Levant, and Western Iran. This domestication gave rise to the taurine line of cattle (Bos taurus), which later spread into Europe and other parts of the world. A separate domestication event in the area of modern-day Pakistan produced the indicine line (Bos indicus). Modern cattle breeds descend from a small number of the original aurochs domesticated in these regions.