Deputte B L, Anderson J R
Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons Alfort, France.
Folia Primatol (Basel). 2009;80(2):70-3. doi: 10.1159/000214225. Epub 2009 Apr 24.
It is well documented that hamadryas baboons were used by the ancient Egyptians to pick fruits, but it is not well known that these baboons were also used to collect palm nuts. We describe this practice as it is depicted on a painting on a rarely exhibited ancient Egyptian artefact. Striking similarities with the modern use of pig-tailed macaques as coconut harvesters are described, raising new questions about the demise of the practice in Africa and its continuation in South-East Asia.
有充分的文献记载，埃及古人曾用阿拉伯狒狒采摘水果，但鲜为人知的是，这些狒狒还被用于收集棕榈坚果。我们根据一件极少展出的古埃及手工艺品上的一幅画所描绘的情景来描述这种做法。文中描述了它与现代将豚尾猕猴用作椰子采摘者的惊人相似之处，这引发了关于这种做法在非洲消失以及在东南亚延续的新问题。
