When was the Camel domesticated and does it agree with the chronology of the Bible?

Answer 1

Another answer from our community:

Traditional assumptions for camel domestication appears to be between 3000 and 2500 BC, in view of the biblical evidence.

Sandra L Olsen, PhD from the Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh states that although there is little detail available on the history of domestication, a ' likely origin for camel domestication is Iran or Turkmenistan, where their images turn up painted on pottery between 5000 and 4500 years ago and in ceramic wagon models dating between 4500 and 3600 years ago (Bulliet 1990). The latter, from Turkmenistan, implies that the animals were already used for draft by then and hence had probably been domesticated for some time.'

Source:'Nomadic Pastoralists, their Livestock, and their Landscape'

Domestication versus Widespread Use

The Camel and Bible Chronology

References to use of domesticated camels from the time of Abraham have been regarded by a number of authors such as T. E. Peet in Egypt and the Old Testament (1924) p.60, R. Pfeiffer, Introduction to the Old Testament (1941), p.154, and a number of others as anachronistic, that is, entirely out of place historically.

The idea that they are out of place seems a little difficult to sustain in the light of archaeological evidences such as camel statuettes, bones and other references to camels which begin to appear in the record around 3000 BC. (see J.P. Free, "Abraham's Camels," (July 1944:187-93.) The study conducted by Free related to the use of camels in Egypt. A large amount of evidence of the use of camels in the patriarchal period in both Syria and Mesopotamia have been discovered in recent times. K. A. Kitchen is one source of some of the details of this information (see Ancient Orient and Old Testament (1966), pp79-80; "Camel" Illustrated Bible Dictionary (1980), 1:228-230.

Source: The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Merril F. Unger, 1985, p.67

The proposed date for camel domestication is thus hundreds of years before the time of Abraham (born c. 2161 BC).

How this relates to the Patriarchal narratives in which Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are all possessing camels is as follows. All three of these men are portrayed in The Bible as being of significant personal wealth and so the possession of camels is seen as being both linked to and a sign of both the wealth and the respect they enjoyed. Their possession of camels would have given these men an advantage in trade which others did not have.

Thus it is clear that the clear evidence of early camel domestication, when understood in the light of the Bible chronology, not only is totally in place but also explains the position of apparent respect held by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Answer 2

Research published in 2013 by two archaeologists at Tel Aviv University provides the definitive answer that camels were not domesticated in the eastern Mediterranean until 930-900 BCE, long after the time attributed to Abraham. The camels appear suddenly, following major changes in copper production throughout the region. This period coincides with the invasion of Egyptian king Sheshonq I - known in the Bible as Shishak - in 925 BCE. Zooarchaeological studies, artistic depictions and textual evidence all point to this period as the introduction of domestic camels.

The identification and dating of earlier camel figurines and drawings is debatable, and at most represent the acquaintance of ancient people with wild camels. Thus, it cannot be concluded, based on early artefacts and drawings, that camels were exploited as pack animals prior to the Iron Age.
Genesis 37:25 seems to make an unlikely reference to Ishmaelites taking camels from Canaan (Palestine) down into Egypt - such a valuable pack animal would certainly have been adopted by the Egyptians. However, ancient Egyptians did not have or even know about camels until they were reintroduced by Persian conquerors in 525 BCE (Camels had once been indigenous to Egypt but had become extinct, perhaps due to hunting for food). Since the Egyptians were the undisputed colonial masters of Palestine until 1200 BCE, and were involved in Palestine at various times through the first millennium BCE, we can confidently say that domesticated camels had not been introduced into Palestine until the first millennium BCE.

Exodus 9:3 seems to be anachronistic, since the Lord spoke of camels as among the prized herds of the Egyptians, along with cattle, horses, donkeys and sheep.