A breed of sheep originating from Central Asia, known for its curly black fur that is used to make luxurious karakul fur coats.
From the Karakul region in Central Asia (Uzbekistan), the name derived from Turki/Persian origins. The word entered European languages in the 19th century as the fur trade expanded, with 'caracul' as an anglicized variant of 'karakul.'
Karakul sheep wool is so dense and lustrous that a single fleece can be worth hundreds of dollars—for centuries, controlling karakul herds was literally controlling wealth, making these sheep central to Central Asian power politics.
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