Pastoral societies of Mardin province in Southeast Turkey –some anthrozoological aspects

Year 2017, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 253 - 265, 23.11.2017

Abu Bakar Siddiq

https://doi.org/10.19059/mukaddime.296314

Cited By: 2

Abstract

Human first started domesticating
animals at least 11,000 years ago in the Levant and Central Anatolia. Gradually
the idea of animal controlling process, along with agricultural practice,
spread throughout Africa, Asia and continental Europe and eventually
transformed the face of the world. Archaeozoological evidences suggest that the
process of animal domestication was actually occurred in a new way of
human-animal interactions which was totally unknown to previous
hunter-gatherers. Mardin region is located in the central point of northern
Fertile Crescent. Archaeological settlements near and around this region provide
the evidence of human-animal relationships in Early Neolithic societies which essentially
promoted the early domestication process. However, the dimensions of present
human-animal interactions are far different than the early stage, and
therefore, Mardin region is a crucial place to study different facts and status
in pastoral societies, particularly focusing on anthrozoological perspectives. Unfortunately
very few attempts have yet been taken regarding this issue in southeast
Anatolia. This field research, thus, aimed to observe the status of pastoralism
and human-animal relationships in pastoral societies of Mardin providence.

Keywords

Anthrozoology, Anthropology, Pastoralism, Mardin, Southeast Anatolia

Pastoral Societies of Mardin Province in Southeast Turkey –Some Anthrozoological Aspects

Abstract

Human first started domesticating
animals at least 11,000 years ago in the Levant and Central Anatolia. Gradually
the idea of animal controlling process, along with agricultural practice,
spread throughout Africa, Asia and continental Europe and eventually
transformed the face of the world. Archaeozoological evidences suggest that the
process of animal domestication was actually occurred in a new way of
human-animal interactions which was totally unknown to previous
hunter-gatherers. Mardin region is located in the central point of northern
Fertile Crescent. Archaeological settlements near and around this region provide
the evidence of human-animal relationships in Early Neolithic societies which essentially
promoted the early domestication process. However, the dimensions of present
human-animal interactions are far different than the early stage, and
therefore, Mardin region is a crucial place to study different facts and status
in pastoral societies, particularly focusing on anthrozoological perspectives. Unfortunately
very few attempts have yet been taken regarding this issue in southeast
Anatolia. This field research, thus, aimed to observe the status of pastoralism
and human-animal relationships in pastoral societies of Mardin providence. 

Keywords

Anthrozoology, Anthropology, Pastoralism, Mardin, Southeast Anatolia

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