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9999 BCE
Wild Sheep
Wild Sheep have been around for over 1 million years, with their ancestors primarily originating around Eurasia. -
9000 BCE
Domestic Sheep
Sheep were one of the first animals to most likely be domesticated, with goats being shortly before. Sheep were domesticated somewhere between 10,000-8,000 BC for their hide, meat, and milk in Mesopotamia from the Asiatic Mouflon. -
6000 BCE
Selective Breeding
Around 6,000 BC, people in Mesopotamia started to selectively breed sheep in an effort to produce more wool. -
4000 BCE
Popularity on the Rise
Around 4,000 BC, sheep start to spread in popularity across the Middle East, Western Asia, and Southern Europe. -
3000 BCE
White Wool
People in Mesopotamia start to become even more selective with their breeding, aiming to have sheep grow white wool around 3,000 BC. -
1550 BCE
Bronze Age, Modern Sheep
Starting in the Bronze Age around 2,300 BC, Western Asia starts to work towards the characteristics we see primarily today in sheep. By the end of the Bronze Age in the 600's BC, most sheep share the characteristics of modern sheep. -
500 BCE
Writing of Sheep
In the 500's BC, writing in Greece starts to include information around sheep and their wool. -
50
More Romans, More Sheep
As early as 50 AD, the Romans began to move and establish sheep farms and plants across Europe and Western Africa -
1200
Wool Exports
By the 12th century, wool was such a popular commodity, that countries such as England and Spain, stopped allowing the trade of foreign product to cross into their borders, opting to export their own. By 1660, 2/3rds of England's trade exports was wool. -
1493
Sheep in North America
Columbus brings over the first sheep to North America, helping to start integrating them into modern day Mexico and Southeast US. -
1509
Peak wool times in England
Whilst popular before, sheep wool became most popular for use in cloth in 1509. This trended lasted until 1547 roughly. -
Sheep in America grow
England tried to discourage the growth of the sheep population in North America, but by 1665, a few smuggled sheep in the colonies had multiplied into over 100,000. -
Stamp Act and Sheep
King George III outlaws wool trading in, into, and from the US colonies with the oppressive Stamp Act of 1765 in an attempt to gain more control. Despite this, sheep continue to grow, with many founding fathers owning large herds. -
Sheep Moving West
As the 18th century ended, sheep began to grow more throughout the western parts of North America, until in 1788, the first sheep arrive in Australia. -
Wooden Mills
In 1808, wooden mills started to become popular as communities adapted their standards to help meet the demand for more raw wool. The Merino breed became popular for its quality wool. -
From Wool to Mutton
Before the 1800's most of the demand was for wool, but a shift was seen in 1845. The Barbary breed was especially prized for their meat quality. This caused a shift in the farming methods used for sheep, as breeding was increased to meet the demand and because the sheep had to be slaughtered at a young age to ensure tender meat. -
Sheep Ranching in Texas
Though the end of the 19th century and into the beginning of the 20th, sheep ranching in Texas underwent major changes. Ranchers started to mix goats, sheep, and cattle together, build barbed wire fences, and use mesh metal wire fences to keep out predators. By 1930, Texas produced roughly 20% of all sheep in the US. This number dropped severely due to World War II later on. -
Sheep Prevail
Despite World War II dropping the number of sheep in Texas, as of 2000, there were 1.2 million sheep in Texas valued at $98 million. -
Sheep Now
As of January 2024, there were 5.03 million sheep in the US alone. This number is down 2% from 2023, according to the USDA. According to data from July 2024, China remains the biggest purchaser of sheep wool, purchasing roughly 286,000 tons of wool in 2021, and having a 29% increase year-on-year.