Cattle Power: From Domestication to Ranching
Author(s): Nerissa Russell
Year: 2017
Summary
I argue that, in contrast to other early animal domesticates, cattle domestication in the Near Eastern Neolithic was motivated largely by the symbolic value of wild cattle (aurochsen). Already the centerpieces of feasts and ceremonies, subject to ritual treatment, and probably playing a key role in Neolithic religion, domestication brought these powerful animals under human control, and ensured a ready supply for ceremonies. I suggest that this pre-existing symbolic and spiritual power shaped the social role of domestic cattle, with echoes that carry through to the present day. This symbolic weight gave them special value when herded, eventually transforming them into animal wealth. Even in the context of modern commoditized production, cattle often still carry special value. Some choose to maintain cattle ranches for the prestige as much as the economic value, and bull games remain compelling.
Cite this Record
Cattle Power: From Domestication to Ranching. Nerissa Russell. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Fort Worth, TX. 2017 ( tDAR id: 435271)
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Keywords
General
human-animal relations
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Wealth
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Zooarchaeology
Geographic Keywords
North America
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United States of America
Temporal Keywords
Neolithic
Spatial Coverage
min long: -129.199; min lat: 24.495 ; max long: -66.973; max lat: 49.359 ;
Individual & Institutional Roles
Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology
Record Identifiers
PaperId(s): 140