Investigations on veterinary folklore in the lower euphrates basin

Folk medicine and veterinary medicine constitute two major elements of folklore, which is defined as a branch of science that compiles, investigates, classifies and analyses the moral and material tradition-derived culture of the folk by means of distinctive methods of its own, and makes assessments on folk culture.Being one of the main settlement areas of known history and having hosted several civilizations, the Euphrates Basin bears great significance for folklore. However, despite the significance of the region, studies previously conducted on folklore, in general, and veterinary folklore, in specific, in the Euphrates Basin, are limited in both number and scope.The present study was aimed at the collection and publication of the oral sources related to veterinary medicine and animal husbandry in the Lower Euphrates Basin. Furthermore, the link of this inventory with communities that have lived in Anatolia throughout history was investigated to unearth the findings of migration of science among civilizations and to bring to light ancient treatment methods and their contribution to modern medical applications with a view to provide a framework for future studies.For this purpose, a total of 123 persons in the Adıyaman, Elazığ, Malatya and Şanlıurfa provinces and the Nizip district of Gaziantep province, all which are located in the Lower Euphrates Basin, were interviewed. The findings obtained from these interviews were analysed by ?content analysis? method.In this study, in compliance with previous research conducted on Anatolian folklore related to veterinary medicine and folk medicine, it was determined that certain methods used for the treatment of animal diseases in the Lower Euphrates Basin had their origin from veterinary manuscripts referred to as baytarname and even from the Greek, Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian and Roman civilizations. These methods were observed to display similarity to rational treatment methods used in modern medicine. Furthermore, it was ascertained that, certain existent beliefs related to animals and methods currently applied for the treatment of animal diseases in the Lower Euphrates Basin were common across Anatolia and carried the traces of ancient Turkish beliefs.In conclusion, it is considered that the Lower Euphrates Basin embodies rich folkloric features with respect to veterinary folklore and that the methods applied in the region for the treatment of animal diseases as well existent beliefs have religious-magical, empirical and rational roots with the drugs, preparations and methods used in treatment dating back to ancient civilizations. Nonetheless, the treatment methods and beliefs of the region were found to be similar to those prevailing in different regions of Anatolia, and differences are suggested to have resulted from additions and modifications that occurred in the course of time.Key words: Lower Euphrates Basin, folklore, animal husbandry, veterinary medicine, veterinary folklore