Pastoral SocietiesPastoral Societies

By Dr. Frank Elwell

Pastoral SocietiesPastoral Societies

Pastoral or herding societies Pastoral or herding societies represent an adaptation to represent an adaptation to specialized environmental specialized environmental conditions. conditions.

Patoralists cover roughly the same Patoralists cover roughly the same range of technological range of technological development as horticultural and development as horticultural and agrarian societies.agrarian societies.

Pastoral SocietiesPastoral Societies

A pastoral society is one relying for its A pastoral society is one relying for its subsistence on domesticated herd subsistence on domesticated herd animals.animals.

The first pastoral societies emerged The first pastoral societies emerged between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago, between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago, when some hunting and gathering when some hunting and gathering groups began to capture, breed, and groups began to capture, breed, and tend species of wild animals they tend species of wild animals they previously had hunted.previously had hunted.

Flock of karakul sheep grazing in northern Afghanistan.

Pastoral SocietiesPastoral Societies

Animals were first domesticated Animals were first domesticated about the same time as plants about the same time as plants were first cultivated, and the two were first cultivated, and the two practices typically went hand in practices typically went hand in hand in the horticultural and hand in the horticultural and agrarian societies of the Eurasia.agrarian societies of the Eurasia.

Pastoralists on the move. Here a Kurdish tribe of northern Iraq is pictured. Both donkeys and cattle are bearing packs.

Pastoral SocietiesPastoral Societies

This strategy has been adopted by This strategy has been adopted by many peoples living in deserts or many peoples living in deserts or other regions that are not suited to other regions that are not suited to the cultivation of plants, but which the cultivation of plants, but which contain animals--such as goats or contain animals--such as goats or sheep--that can be readily tamed sheep--that can be readily tamed and used as a food source.and used as a food source.

Water is a problem in arid lands. Water is drawn from the well in leather bags and pulled up by a rope attached to the camel saddle. Afghanistan.

Pastoral SocietiesPastoral Societies

Many pastoral societies still exist in Many pastoral societies still exist in the modern world, particularly in the modern world, particularly in Africa and in the Middle East. In Africa and in the Middle East. In some areas crop cultivation was some areas crop cultivation was severely limited because of severely limited because of insufficient rainfall, too short a insufficient rainfall, too short a growing season, or mountainous growing season, or mountainous terrain.terrain.

Pastoral SocietiesPastoral Societies

Pastoralism is a much more reliable Pastoralism is a much more reliable and productive strategy than and productive strategy than hunting and gathering. It assures hunting and gathering. It assures a steady food supply, and the size a steady food supply, and the size of the herds can be increased over of the herds can be increased over time.time.

Encampment of nomadic pastoralists near Bojinoord, Iran. The tents are quickly erected and taken down.

Pastoral SocietiesPastoral Societies

While their communities are While their communities are typically of small size (median of typically of small size (median of 72), societies are usually fairly 72), societies are usually fairly large.large.

Villa Bruzzi, Somaliland.

PopulationPopulation

Producing more food results in Producing more food results in society growing much larger, society growing much larger, perhaps to include hundreds or perhaps to include hundreds or even thousands of people.even thousands of people.

Median PopulationMedian Population

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1000

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H & G

S. Hort

Pastoral

SurplusSurplus

The greater productivity of this The greater productivity of this strategy allows pastoralists to strategy allows pastoralists to accumulate a surplus of goods.accumulate a surplus of goods.

InequalityInequality

For the first time, some individuals For the first time, some individuals can become more powerful than can become more powerful than others and can even pass on their others and can even pass on their status to their descendants.status to their descendants.

Long-horned African cattle grazing near Kitega, Ruandi-Urundi.

InequalityInequality

Patterns of hereditary chieftainship Patterns of hereditary chieftainship begin to appear, as powerful and begin to appear, as powerful and wealthy families are able to secure wealthy families are able to secure their positions.their positions.

NomadicNomadic

Pastoralists are usually nomadic Pastoralists are usually nomadic because they must constantly take because they must constantly take their herds to new grazing lands. As their herds to new grazing lands. As a result, their material possessions a result, their material possessions are few in number, but are more are few in number, but are more elaborate than those of hunting and elaborate than those of hunting and gathering peoples because they can gathering peoples because they can be carried on animals.be carried on animals.

Livestock is the basic resource in herding societies, and the size of his herd is the measure of the man. Large herds signify not only wealth but power, for only a strong man can defend such vulnerable property: roundup time in Mongolia.

NomadicNomadic

Cultural artifacts in these societies Cultural artifacts in these societies therefore consist of items that are therefore consist of items that are easily transportable -- tents, woven easily transportable -- tents, woven carpets, simple utensils, jewelry, carpets, simple utensils, jewelry, and so on.and so on.

NomadicNomadic

Their nomadic way of life often Their nomadic way of life often brings pastoralists into contact brings pastoralists into contact with other groups. One with other groups. One consequence is the development consequence is the development of systematic trading; a second is of systematic trading; a second is that disputes over grazing rights that disputes over grazing rights frequently lead to intergroup frequently lead to intergroup fighting.fighting.

SlaverySlavery

Slavery, unknown in hunting and Slavery, unknown in hunting and gathering societies, makes its gathering societies, makes its appearance as captives in battle appearance as captives in battle are put to work for their are put to work for their conquerors.conquerors.

ReligionReligion

Pastoral peoples tend to develop a Pastoral peoples tend to develop a belief that is found in very few belief that is found in very few religions; they commonly believe religions; they commonly believe in a God or gods who take active in a God or gods who take active interest in human affairs and look interest in human affairs and look after the people who worship after the people who worship them.them.

ReligionReligion

This belief seems to have been This belief seems to have been suggested by the pastoralists' suggested by the pastoralists' experience of the relationship experience of the relationship between themselves and their flocks. between themselves and their flocks. The modern religions based on this The modern religions based on this view of the relationship between view of the relationship between human beings and god--Judaism and human beings and god--Judaism and its offshoots, Christianity and Islam-- its offshoots, Christianity and Islam-- originated among pastoral peoplesoriginated among pastoral peoples

SummarySummary

The subsistence strategy of pastoral The subsistence strategy of pastoral societies thus provides distinctive societies thus provides distinctive social and cultural opportunities social and cultural opportunities and limitations.and limitations.

SummarySummary

Populations become larger, political Populations become larger, political and economic institutions begin to and economic institutions begin to develop, and both structure and develop, and both structure and culture become more complex.culture become more complex.