VN May 2023

Vetnews | Mei 2023 39 As you may recall from our topic on Wildlife (VetNews, July 2022), the first known zoological classification system was developed in Sumeria. In this issue, as a continuation of Part I on wild animals, we deal with the domesticated species with a greater economic value because of their zootechnic characteristics. The domestication of many of today´s farm animals first took place in the Ancient Near East, and Sumeria was a country located in the southernmost part of Mesopotamia. Agriculture and animal husbandry were the two main pillars on which the Sumerian economy was based. In the case of domestic animals, a much more detailed classification was required due to their economic value. Therefore, in addition to lexical lists, one of the most important sources for their study are the administrative texts contained in thousands of cuneiform tablets that have survived to the present day. Species were directly designated by determinatives or primary names (see figure): udu (sheep), maš (goat), áb and gud (cow and bull, respectively). Anše for donkeys and, more generally, for transport animals such as onagers, horses and their hybrids, as well as camels and dromedaries, whichwere introduced inMesopotamia later, already domesticated. Finally, sah denotes both wild and domestic suids (porcine species), which were not very popular. Secondarynamesweregiven inaddition to thedeterminative.These referred to characteristics of zootechnical interest that affected the economic value of the animal. Regarding morphology, a distinction was made between age, sex and reproductive status (including castrated animals) and coat colour (white, black, brown, mottled, etc.). In the case of foreign sheep, the origin was indicated as these animals did not meet the Sumerian identification standards. A distinction was also made between individuals bred for daily consumption and those specially selected to be sacrificed at festivals or in temples. The term “lead animal” ( en-zi ) regarding goats may refer to bucks that were used to lead the flocks of sheep. The fat-tailed sheep ( gukkal ), now one of the most important lineages in the world, was highly prized even then. They were divided into three breeds according to the lengthof this appendage: long-tailed, longer or extra-long, the latter being very rare and the most valuable. Regarding husbandry, a distinction was made between suckling animals and those grazed or fattened on grain. Oxen trained to pull the plough were named for their position in the ploughing team. The writing system developed by the Sumerians towards the end of the 4 th millennium B.C. supported the complex administrative framework necessary to maintain efficient livestock management. What we see here is just a small sample. Would you like to know more? Keep a lookout for our next issues! v SUMERIAN ZOOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION: 2 - PRODUCTION ANIMALS Silvia Nicolás Alonso Ph.D. in Veterinary Medicine Biblical and Oriental Institute (León, Spain) Do you Know? Determinatives for domestic animals. Sumerian transliteration in bold, italics for the Akkadian one. The pictograms (upper part of each square, ca. 3100 B.C.) fromwhich the cuneiform signs (ca. 2100 B.C.) evolved are included. All signs resemble animal heads as pars pro toto was a commonly used resource for the written representation of animals.