Ancient Horse Domestication:

New DNA Analysis Revises Timeline Horses significantly changed human history by enhancing mobility, but the precise period between their domestication and widespread use for transportation has long been debated.

Recent research led by scientists from the Centre d ’Anthropobiologie et de Génomique de Toulouse, along with other institutions, provides new insights.

By examining 475 ancient horse genomes, the study seeks to pinpoint when human intervention began reshaping horse populations in Eurasia.“Essentially, humans accelerated the breeding process, effectively doubling the rate of production,” explained Dr. Librado, a researcher involved in the study.“Our approach to measuring changes in generation times offers significant promise,” he added.“It introduces a novel method for archaeologists to track the development of controlled breeding practices in various domestic animals beyond horses.”

“This technique also sheds light on the generation intervals of our hunter-gatherer ancestors and how these intervals evolved in response to lifestyle changes or major climatic events.

”According to Dr. Orlando, the study reveals two key phases of horse domestication.“The first phase, around 5,500 years ago, aimed to counteract declining horse populations and provide resources for people living in Central Asia's steppes,” he noted.“The modern domestic horse emerged approximately 4,200 years ago from the second phase of domestication.”“This later phase was pivotal, as it introduced rapid mobility, dramatically altering human history.”

These findings were published in the journal Nature.

Reference:

P. Librado et al. "Widespread horse-based mobility arose around 2,200 BCE in Eurasia." Nature, published online June 6, 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07597-5.

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