Transhumance
Transhumance
!Transhumance in [Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/MoutonsurlaroutedeEntrevauxaAnnot0566.JPG/330px-MoutonsurlaroutedeEntrevauxaAnnot0566.JPG)
Transhumance
Traditional or fixed transhumance has occurred throughout the inhabited world, particularly Europe and western Asia. It is often important to pastoralist societies, as the dairy products of transhumance flocks and herds (milk, butter, yogurt and cheese) may form much of the diet of such populations. In many languages there are words for the higher summer pastures, and frequently these words have been used as place names: e.g. hafod in Wales, shieling in Scotland, or alp in Germany, Austria and German-speaking regions of Switzerland.
Etymology and definition
The word transhumance comes from French and derives from the Latin words trans "across" and humus "ground". Literally, it means crossing the land. Transhumance developed on every inhabited continent. Although there are substantial cultural and technological variations, the underlying practices for taking advantage of remote seasonal pastures are similar linguistically.
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