2009/03/06 by Alan K. Outram, Natalie A. Stear, Robin Bendrey +5 · 13 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Archaeology and ancient environmental studies #Animal Diversity and Health Studies #Meat and Animal Product Quality
paper · doi:10.1126/science.1168594
openalex publication_date 2009/03/06 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/02
Horse domestication revolutionized transport, communications, and warfare in prehistory, yet the identification of early domestication processes has been problematic. Here, we present three independent lines of evidence demonstrating domestication in the Eneolithic Botai Culture of Kazakhstan, dating to about 3500 B.C.E. Metrical analysis of horse metacarpals shows that Botai horses resemble Bronze Age domestic horses rather than Paleolithic wild horses from the same region. Pathological characteristics indicate that some Botai horses were bridled, perhaps ridden. Organic residue analysis, using delta13C and deltaD values of fatty acids, reveals processing of mare's milk and carcass products in ceramics, indicating a developed domestic economy encompassing secondary products.