SHEPHERD (ŞİVAN)

Every year thousands of sheep from the Southeastern Anatolia Region go up to plateaus in
different places of the Eastern Anatolia with the start of warm weather. In the beginning of winter
herd owners come down to plains with their animals and stay there during winter time. This is a
journey taking about a month led by a few shepherds. Sheep is kept for their milk, meat and
especially their wool. Shepherding is one of the oldest occupations going back to 6000 years in Asia
and over the next millennia, sheep and shepherding spread throughout Eurasia. In many societies,
shepherds were an important part of the economy. Unlike farmers, shepherds were often wage
earners, being paid to watch the sheep of others. Shepherds also lived apart from society, being
largely nomadic.