Reconstructing ovicaprid herding pattern in Anatolian and Mesopotamian settlements during the Bronze Age

Year 2013, Volume: 4 Issue: 1, 23 - 35, 31.12.2013

Lubna Omar A. Cem Erkman

Abstract

This study focuses on examining caprine herding strategies during Early and Middle Bronze
periods, throughout the analysis of the faunal materials that belong to Anatolian and upper
Mesopotamian sites. The main argument of this paper is assessing the role of both
environmental factors and socio-economic strategies in the development of caprine herding
patterns. The zooarchaeological research methods which were applied on several faunal
assemblages assisted us in evaluating the frequency of herded species in each settlement, the
distribution of age groups and the variation of animal’s size. While conducting a comparative
study among several archaeological sites situated in two distinctive geographical regions, will
give us the chance to illustrate if environmental or socio-economic factors lead to the
adaptation of certain herding patterns. Consequently we will able to shed new light on the
developments of early urban societies. 

Keywords

Zooarchaeology, animal economy, Bronze Age, Anatolia, Mesopotamia, early urbanism

References

• Atıcı L. (2005) Centralized or decentralized: the mode of pastoral economy at Early Bronze Age at Kaman-Kalehöyük. Kaman-Kalehöyük 14:119-127.