Christina Tsouparopoulou

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.