Anthrozoological study on the agro-pastoral societies of Kızıltepe, Southeast Anatolia

Abstract

Since the origin, humans have been depended and formed mixtures of complex relationships with nonhuman animals. These mutualistic relationships eventually intensified following the animal domestication. Southeast Anatolia is one of the important regions where the first domestication of sheep, goat, cattle, and pig occurred as well as domestic herds have been fundamental in every socio-cultural aspect in the region until today. Therefore, Southeast Anatolia has been an ideal place for pastoral and anthrozoological study. Through fieldworks and exploratory case studies in agro-pastoral societies in Kızıltepe, we found certain sheep, goats, and cattle are capable of distinguishing and recognizing human and other cross-species individuals as like they do in their own species. Alongside of providing protein, wealth and social status, herd animals in Kızıltepe also possess deep affection and emotional bonds with human individuals as like as pets in urban societies. On the other hand, we do not observe any gender or sibling effect in children-animal bond which was focused in some contemporary studies. Our overall observations and findings also demonstrate some intangible culture cores in Southeast Anatolia which is promoted mainly by the complex relationships between human and their domestic herds.