Archaeologists working at the site of Lagash in southern Iraq have discovered a specialized archive of cuneiform tablets belonging to the "Master of the Royal Kennels." The tablets date to the Neo-Sumerian period and detail the breeding lineages, medical treatments, and daily meat rations for large hunting hounds used by the court.
Unexpectedly, the archive also contains training manuals that describe techniques for socialising the dogs for palace life and coordinating them during large-scale lion hunts. This discovery offers a fascinating look into the domestication and specialized roles of animals in Mesopotamian society, treating them as vital assets of the state.