Goats: A History [18:17]

One of the most anticipated collegiate football games in the US every year is the annual game between the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy. And when millions of people each year watch the Army-Navy game, most are asking the same befuddling question: Why on earth is the mascot of the United States Naval Academy a goat? Actually, goats have a surprising history with the United States Navy. But then again, goats have a surprising history all around.
The Rise of Civilization
The Rise of Civilization is a new show from Dynamo. They're the makers of the hit YouTube series Business Explains the World. It premieres in November 2025. In fact, the first episode, which is about fire beacons, is already posted. And yes, yours truly, The History Guy, is on that show. Yeah, I know AI, but you know, as a historian, I do have this frustration because there was nobody wandering around with a camera in ancient Greece. I had a great time working with Dynamo on this documentary, and the AI is maybe less than perfect, but it does allow us to picture how the past built the present in a brand new way. Technology of the present lets us get a glimpse of the past. So join us on a journey as we use today's technology and centuries of knowledge to discover our collective past. Watch that first episode on Fire Beacons with yours truly, The History Guy, on YouTube at The Rise of Civilization. And if you like it, go ahead and subscribe.
The Importance of Goats in History
It's not a surprise that Americans are generally unfamiliar with the history of goats. According to a 2021 article in Frontiers of Veterinary Science, 90% of the world's more than 1 billion goats live in the developing world. The US has approximately 2.5 million goats, representing less than a quarter of a percent of the world's goat population. By comparison, the US produces around 21% of the world's chickens. In US terms, at any given moment, there are some 600 chickens per goat, which might make for an interesting battle if they ever came to blows. But the point is, the US is not a major component of the world's goat husbandry industry. But that doesn't mean that goats aren't important to US history. And it certainly doesn't mean that goats are not important to world history. In fact, goats are generally considered to have been the second animal to be domesticated, only behind dogs, and the first to be domesticated as livestock. That is a thousand years before sheep, 1,500 years before cattle, 3,000 years before pigs, 5,000 years before horses, and possibly 7,500 years before chickens were domesticated; people were raising goats.
Domestication of Goats
DNA evidence demonstrates that the progenitor of domestic goats was the bezoar ibex, commonly called the wild goat, whose historical range stretched from the Aegean Sea through Anatolia, the Caucasus, Iran, and as far east as Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Hson Cooper, a goat owner who writes for the Goat Journal, explains on the website of the Livestock Conservancy that goats' social nature and adaptability enabled early civilizations to tame them. Historian Jared Diamond notes in his 1997 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, that there are several characteristics that would predispose certain species to domestication. These include high fertility and reproductive rate, a fast growth rate, animals that can be herded and handled without becoming aggressive, animals that are adaptable to a range of environments and feedstuffs, and are not directly in competition with man's diet. Animals with a docile nature that are not prone to flightiness or skittishness, and animals that naturally move in herds and submit to a pack leader. In all these characteristics, the goat excels.
Timeline of Domestication
Exactly when were they domesticated? There's some disagreement, but multiple methods of tracking DNA conclude that goats were domesticated in the Near East somewhere between 10,000 and 11,000 years ago. And what's more, goats were so valuable that they were domesticated many times.

A 2018 article in the journal Science entitled "Ancient Goat Genomes Reveal Mosaic Domestication in the Fertile Crescent" explains, "We generated genomic data for 83 ancient goats, 51 with genome-wide coverage from Paleolithic through to medieval contexts through the Near East. Our results demonstrate that multiple divergent ancient wild goat sources were domesticated in a dispersed process resulting in genetically and geographically distinct Neolithic goat populations, echoing contemporaneous human divergence across the region." Cooper writes, "Neolithic sites reveal how the practices of agriculture and pastoralism spread around the region. In fact, genetic analysis of bone samples revealed that goat populations in different areas were quite distinct, as were their human herders. This process has continued." Science writer K. Chris Hurst writes on the website Thotco in 2019, "Today, over 300 breeds of goats exist on our planet, living on every continent except Antarctica. They thrive in an astonishing range of environments from human settlements and tropical rainforests to dry hot deserts and cold hypoxic high altitudes." The authors of the study published in Science note, "We also detect early selection of pigmentation, stature, reproduction, milking, and response to dietary change, providing 8,000-year-old evidence for human agency in molding genome variation within a particular species." That's important in that it shows that people were selectively breeding goats. That is, very early on, we were changing goats to suit our needs. But it also shows the pure function of people can eat goats, can milk goats, can wear their skins. Even the dung has a purpose, both to fertilize crops and to use as fuel.
Goats in the Neolithic Era
It is interesting that goats were domesticated during the Neolithic era, the Upper Stone Age, a period whose anthropological definition begins with early agriculture and is associated with the Neolithic Revolution, the period when human societies largely transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settled agriculture and villages. That connection is not coincidental. The journal Nature's Index explained in 2019 that humans began domesticating animals more than 10,000 years ago, thereby ensuring a fixed source of food and furs, which supported the evolution of society. A 2003 article by Y. Hatamaglau of Greece's Aristotle University in the journal Small Ruminant Research writes that goats were apparently the first species to be domesticated as livestock about 8,000 BC in the area of Mesopotamia, today's Middle East. This region of domestication was also the cradle of one of the first civilizations, the Sumerians, and goats had a strong impact on all phases of their life. Goats were present and involved in all life events of ancient societies as documented in the earliest archaeological findings and written evidence.
Goats in Ancient Civilizations
Hatamaglau continues, "It appears that goats were the first milk-producing animals exploited by humans. In ancient Egypt, goat cheese was an important part of the daily diet, not only because people valued its taste, but because of the belief that it could prevent tuberculosis, slow down the aging process, and even improve one's sexual abilities. Manowans and Masonans loved cheese made from goats and sheep milk. From descriptions in the Bible, the value of goat's milk was cherished for the sustenance of the household and the maintenance of the community. Likewise, the authors note, goat skins were used in many ways for the wrapping of the dead, for parchment made in Egypt, and for baking clothes at all parts of the region.

Perhaps not surprisingly, as they were so central to important functions of civilizations, goats then played an important role in mythology as well. Hatamaglau continues, "Goats have long been involved in rituals and mythology, as mentioned in ancient literature. Because of their sexual nature, both sexes of goats symbolize fertility, vitality, ceaseless energy, and material care. Goats were sacred to the Sumerian god Marduk, who is often pictured accompanied by a goat. It was also sacred to the Babylonian god Ningirsu. The Egyptians adored the goat and sometimes sacrificed it as a sacred animal in order to appease the wrath of the gods. The pharaonic god Osiris sometimes appears in the form of a goat. Zeus, the future father of Greek gods and men, was fed with honey and milk of the goat Amalthea. In gratitude, Zeus sent Amalthea's image among the stars as Capricorn. He also borrowed one of her horns, always filled with food and drinks on the wish of its owner, and it became the cornucopia, the horn of plenty, and has been considered a symbol of fertility and abundance. Its introduction to bear the sins of an entire community is a universal custom starting in ancient Babylon. During the Hebrew ceremonies on the Day of Atonement, the priest would cast away into the wilderness one goat carrying symbolically the sins of the people, thus departing or escaping goat in English, the scapegoat. The symbology of goats goes beyond the Near East.

However, Merida Rhodess writes in the 2020 book Goats from Ancient to Modern, the written myths, legends, epics, fables, and fairy tales that we know today. Many cultures have used goats in stories that portray various social constructs of their times. In Norse mythology, the goats Teng Grizznier and Tegnoster pulled the chariot of the god Thor. By legend, Thor can slaughter and eat the goats and then resurrect them with his hammer as having an endless supply of food. In fact, goats are associated with gods in many cultures. The deity in Basque culture called Acer Belts is a protector of goats and other animals. Bass farmers sometimes keep a black buck in their stables to protect their other livestock. In Chinese mythology, Yangqing is a transcendent goat that protects people from wild animals. The goat is the eighth animal in the Chinese zodiac and represents prosperity and abundance. In folklore, the goat is a symbol of peace and harmony.

One quizzical idea is how the goat came to be a modern symbol of Satan. Bulkair writer Icy Cedric explains on her blog, "The devil is not described in the Bible, so the hooves and horns don't come from this representation there." In the Renaissance, he was sometimes depicted as a dragon. Some authors suggest the association might come via the Greek god of the wild, Pan, who was depicted as a man with goat legs and was rebranded as a demon in an effort to convert his followers to Christianity. But she concludes, put simply, it's difficult to tell why the devil is depicted as a goat. Historically, goats have been associated with a number of myths.

Cedric notes that the 19th-century denim tracks, a collection of folklore myths published in the United Kingdom, says that keeping a goat in an inn or on a farm would bring the owner good luck and would also ensure the good health of any other animals. Another superstition holds that only goat's blood could soften diamonds. She continues, "Dreaming of goats apparently suggests bad health, but if you dream of many goats, it meant that you could expect an inheritance. If you killed a goat in a dream, it would bring good luck. While seeing a black goat in a dream meant misfortune. Goats may also predict weather." Cedric writes, "If goats came indoors to lick block salt, it showed a change in the weather. The weather would improve if they came in during bad weather and vice versa. If their coats thickened rapidly in early autumn, it meant farmers could expect a long winter."

Writer Amelia Soth notes another important goat myth in a 2018 edition of JSTOR Daily, that of the bezor. A goat swallows a hair washed in stomach acid. The indigestible strand gathers layers. It grows like a pearl forming from a grain of sand. Without knowing it, the goat is growing an object worth three times its weight in gold, an object with the power to fascinate kings, to make fortunes, to draw ships across the ocean. The lump in the goat's belly is called a bezor. Smooth, lustrous, and dung-colored, bezors range in size from pebbles to goose eggs. According to tradition, a bit of bezor scraped off and dissolved in wine or water would banish fever, melancholia, or even plague. Most famously, they were supposed to counteract any poison, which made them a must-have for paranoid monarchs.

The bezor's reputation as a panacea arrived in Europe from the writings of medieval Arab and Persian physicians like Iben Cena and Iben Albthar. In early modern Europe, the reputation made bezors one of the most sought-after commodities on the market. They were frequently valued at many times over their weight in gold. It isn't a surprise that goats would become associated with health and wealth. Hats of Menagal explains that the importance of this useful and adaptable animal was reflected not only in becoming part of the ancient worship myths and legends but also of economic significance through the centuries into today's agricultural world. Goats remained important economically throughout history.

J. Buazagloo of Aristotle University writes in a 2005 issue of Small Ruminant Research, "The presence of the goat in all sectors of ancient societies has continued to the present, particularly in religion, economy, nutrition, and tradition. Breeding goats was important during Greco-Roman times, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance. Goat farming reached a turning point in the 18th century in Europe when distinct populations emerged through selective breeding from the basic European, Asian, and African goat populations.

This was just as true on this side of the Atlantic. Dan Skirllock writes in a 1998 edition of the New Mexico Historical Review that goats were quickly imported with the first European settlement. The many useful attributes of goats explain why this hearty, adaptable animal was brought to various islands in the Caribbean and the holds of Columbus' ships on his second voyage. Subsequent Spanish expeditions to the New World introduced the goat to South America, Central America, Mexico, and eventually to the Southwest.

Goats remained important for homesteaders moving west. The agricultural news site Morning Egg Clips reported last July, though they're often overshadowed by cattle, pigs, and chickens, goats have played an essential role on homesteads and farms across the United States since the colonial era. Their hearty nature, efficient feed-to-product conversion, and versatility have made them a staple for milk, meat, fiber, and even land management. Today, interest in goat farming is rising again, fueled by shifting consumer tastes, cultural diversity, and a growing demand for sustainable small-scale livestock systems.

Emily Hayes of the Livestock Conservancy writes, "Goats provide a supply of milk, meat, and fiber, and were easy for homesteaders to manage. As settlers moved westward, goats spread across the US and helped shape American agriculture. In the early 20th century, as US agriculture shifted towards large-scale production, goat numbers declined, but their presence on small farms remained important. By the mid-1900s, breed registries were established by enthusiasts and serious producers focused on maintaining breed-specific characteristics.

Goats have often been kept in the White House, notably Abraham Lincoln's goats, Nanny and Nango, pets for his sons. In an April 28th, 1864, telegram to his wife in New York, he wrote, "Tell Tad the goats and father are very well, especially the goats." And the same hardiness of goats resulted in another connection. The US Naval History and Heritage Command writes, "In the early days of the service, many larger ships kept goats and other livestock on board as a source of fresh meat and milk. Not all livestock fared as well as goats. Oxen could get scurvy, and sheep didn't take well to sea life. Hens only prospered in good weather. Goats were the only livestock able to maintain sea legs in any weather and under all conditions.

This is connected to a still important naval tradition. A goat locker is a lounge, sleeping area, and galley for the exclusive use of US Navy Chief Petty Officers. The Naval History and Heritage Command explains, "In 1893, when the Chief Petty Officer rank was established, the goat locker was still the area where goats were kept aboard ships. The goats were under the charge of the Chief Petty Officers, and the livestock pens were in the chief's quarters." The Blue Jacket's manual also states that the Goat Locker is a good-natured reference to chiefs as old goats. By the 20th century, the goat locker didn't keep actual goats, but the tradition held on in a different way.

The Naval History and Heritage Command explains that in the 20th century, goats served a different purpose, as mascots. Goats continued to ride on US Navy ships, but now served as pets and morale boosters rather than sources of food. The Navy's first goat mascot, Elsid, was a pet aboard the cruiser New York. In 1893, New York crew members brought Elsid to Annapolis for the Army-Navy game, which the Navy won. Midshipmen attributed victory to the presence of the GOAT. And from this point onward, the US Navy Academy's tradition of having a goat as a mascot was born.

And that raises another question. And yes, numerous journals attest to pirates buying goats for meat and milk in ports all over the world. Goat meat is just not much preferred in the developed world where people don't prefer the gamey taste. We have less cultural connection to eating goat and more developed economic systems around the production of other kinds of meat. Heck, in the United States, the only thing we know a goat is good for is to feed the T-Rex on Isla Nublar. But goats are an essential source of meat, milk, and fiber in the developing world, where their ability to survive on fodder that no other domesticated animal can makes them a critical part of world nutrition, health, and food security.

The aid agency Heer International notes that many development agencies consider goats to be the preferred livestock commodity to alleviate poverty. And the humanitarian organization Concern Worldwide notes that for sheer ubiquitousness and all-around functionality, nothing can really beat Capra hircus, otherwise known as the goat.

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