The “K-9 Corps” of the Third Dynasty of Ur: The Dog Handlers at Drehem and the Army

Abstract

The use of dogs in Mesopotamian military history has so far been obscure due to the apparent absence of any documentary evidence. This also holds true for the Ur III period, one of the best-documented periods in Mesopotamian history. However, a close examination of Drehem administrative texts documenting dog handlers provides evidence that dogs were indeed used in the Ur III military and were part of the military personnel stationed at Drehem and beyond.

The Healing Goddess, Her Dogs and Physicians in Late Third Millennium BC Mesopotamia

“…to reflect honorific duties and advanced (educational or other) skills. Nonetheless, it seems that as the generals were responsible for overseeing the dogs and their handlers that belonged to the military (Tsouparopoulou 2012), so also the physicians were responsible for overseeing the dogs and their handlers that belonged to the temples of the healing goddess. If this is confirmed beyond any doubt by identifying further Šu-Mamitum as a physician, then we should have again the first documentary evidence that during the Ur III period the physician was closely related to the healing goddess Gula, and conceivably also that he was operating on-site at the temple of his patron goddess in the company of dogs.…”

“…For previous literature on the topic, seeTsouparopoulou (2012).19 The translation of sa 2 -du 11 as "consignment" follows Al-Mutawalli e. a. (2019).20 For distinctions in the business of the livestock agency at Puzriš-Dagan in different offices and their associated officials, seeTsouparopoulou (2013).21 Inim-Nanna's receipt of consignments alongside the dogs and Gula is very interesting.…”

Killing and Skinning Animals in the Ur III Period: The Puzriš-Dagan (Drehem) Office Managing of Dead Animals and Slaughter By-products

“…Dog handlers (sipa ur-gir 15 -ra) are regularly mentioned as the recipients of carcasses to feed their dogs. They were attached either to the army (Tsouparopoulou 2012) or to the healing goddess Gula. Butchers (ĝ iri 2 -la 2 and gu 4 -gaz) are rarely mentioned in Ur III texts.…”

“…They received what was left of the carcasses of dead animals from dog handlers after the dogs had had their fill. They also occasionally received animal skins and carcasses from Nur-Suen and later Lu-kala (Cooper 1979;Tsouparopoulou 2012).…”

“…At the beginning and until Š .47 this bureau had close connections with the archive of Naram-ili, then later with the dog handlers working for the army (Tsouparopoulou 2012) and those related to Gula. Two phrases are found often in relation to this department: e 2 -kiš ib-ba-š e 3 ba-an-ku 4 (brought into the storeroom) in texts of the chief official Nasa, and e 2 -gal-la ba-an-[ku 4 ] (brought into the palace) in texts from Enlila's bureau of the shepherds' office.…”