The Domestication of Sheep
Sheep domestication consisted of a rough and ready systemic breeding of wild flocks. Our ancestors killed off the nastiest rams in nearby herds, and were kind to the rest. It was not a straightforward process, and probably had many ups downs and difficulties – particularly with the rams during mating season. However, it eventually led to wild flocks whose ewes became so gentle and docile that hunters could approach and milk them. Over generations of selective breeding, the wild mountain sheep grew increasingly more gentle, docile, plump and sheepish. The peoples managing those herds were transformed from hunters into shepherds.
The sheep domestication template was used with other animals. At roughly the same time, a strain of Iranian ibex was transformed into today’s goats. Around 9000 BC, wild boars in northern China and today’s Turkey were domesticated into pigs. By 8000 BC, wild aurochs had been domesticated into cattle in the Middle East and India. Similar processes were used around the world to domesticate water buffalo, yaks, horses, donkeys, camels, reindeer, llama, alpaca, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons, and other staples of animal husbandry.
