"Invisible People and Elite Customers. Fowlers and Bird Breeders in the Social Network of the Ur III Province of Ĝirsu/Lagaš"

The purpose of this article is to offer an overview of the socio-economic dimension of the individuals involved in the exploitation of marginal resources, specifically birds, which were nonetheless perceived as prestige products by the royal elite. Drawing from Ur iii sources, the policy adopted by the state to dis- pose of these goods is scrutinised. Despite the meagre documentation, glimpses of the strategies used by fowlers to capitalise on state allowance return a vibrant image of this sector of society. The scenario here proposed confirms the careful planning so peculiar to the Ur iii economy, strengthening however a new perspective, which increasingly focuses on a hidden regionalism and on dynamics of intra-societal cooperation.