 The history of the domesticated sheep goes back to between 11000 and 9000 BC , and the domestication of the wild mouflon in ancient Mesopotamia . Sheep are among the first animals to have been domesticated by humans , and there is evidence of sheep farming in Iranian statuary dating to that time period . These sheep were primarily raised for meat , milk , and skins . Woolly sheep began to be developed around 6000 BC in Iran , and cultures such as the Persians relied on sheep 's wool for trading . They were then imported to Africa and Europe via trade . The first sheep was found in Asia . 
