Angora Goats History

Archaeological records indicate that the Angora goat can profess to be one of the
oldest domesticated animals known to mankind. The magnificent fleece of the
Angora goat was revered in biblical times as it is today for its strength, luster, and
versatility, and came to be known as mohair from the Arabic mukhayyar (mukhaya)
meaning "cloth of bright hair from a goat". Although Angora goats are believed to
have originated in the mountains of Tibet, the mohair industry would eventually be
centered in Asia Minor on the Anatolian Plains of Turkey near the capital city of
Ankara, where the term Angora was derived from.

White wool for clothing
obtained from goats and their
kids is first recorded in the
cuneiform tablet writings of
the Sumer people living in
Turkestan between the 14th -
12th century B.C. Further
mention is made regarding the
use of mohair at the time of
Moses (ca. 1571 - 1451 B.C.) in
the Old Testament biblical
book of Exodus, in which the
sons of Israel fled from Egypt
"carrying with them goats
whose fleece was used to
make fabric to dress the
altar".

The birth of the mohair industry would eventually occur in Ankara after the Angora
goats had traveled thousands of miles from Turkestan. During the l3th century,
Genghis Khan drove Suleyman Shah and his prized flocks of Angora goats out of
Turkestan to the River Euphrates, where he drowned as he attempted to cross the
river. His son Ertrugul, determined to lead his people and avenge his father's death,
escaped to neighboring Konya to become a loyal subject of Sultan Aladdin. Ertrugul
was rewarded for his services with a large dominion which included Ankara. It is here
that the Angora goats finally settled, with climatic conditions perfect for their
breeding and the production of a fleece that became a staple regional commodity.