| In 2000 BC the first common Guinea Pig was | | | | Guinea Pigs were brought to Europe by Dutch |
| domesticated for food by the Inca, in the | | | | and English traders. As soon as they were |
| Andean region of South America, in what is | | | | introduced Guinea Pigs became popular as |
| now Peru and Bolivia. In these countries the | | | | exotic pets. No one knows exactly why they |
| Guinea Pigs continue to be a food source. In | | | | came to be thought of as "pigs". Maybe it's |
| Peru Guinea Pigs are called cuy and are | | | | because the sounds they make are similar to |
| considered as a culinary delicacy. Guinea | | | | the sounds of the pigs, also they are built |
| Pigs also play the role of evil-spirit | | | | something like a pig with a large head |
| collector in these country traditional | | | | relative to the body, a stout neck, and a |
| healing rituals. | | | | rounded rump with no tail of any consequence. |
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