Abstract Archaeological and historical data show that pastoral systems in Anatolia over the last ten thousand years were characterised by a high degree of variability in degree of mobility, land-use and animal preferences, target products and herd management strategies, and political organisation. Long-distance pastoral nomadism was a historically late development in the region, occurring over the last 1,500 to 1,000 years. Ethnographic analogy currently structures the majority of archaeological conclusions concerning pre-modern pastoralism, but obscures the variability that recent archaeological work brings to light. Multi-disciplinary studies seeking empirical data on ancient pastoralism and mobility are critical for developing a more subtle and accurate picture.