Horse domestication changed societies in myriad ways, affecting geopolitics as much as any other event in prehistory. Countless empires rose and fell depending on their equestrian acumen and cavalry size. Horses aided in transporting goods and people and greatly accelerated the spread of technology and languages. In the beginning, however, horses were most important for their contribution to human diet, both as meat products and for transporting hunters.
Although early horse domestication has undergone extensive research, few sites have provided sufficient information about how it happened. Traditional methods for identifying incipient livestock domestication are problematic for horses. Size and morphological changes are too variable in early horse populations and slaughter age patterns are equally complex. Incomplete data on the mid-Holocene geographic distribution of Equus ferus, the domestic horse's most likely ancestor, compounds the problem.
The large Copper Age Botai settlements of northern Kazakhstan hold the greatest promise for understanding this pivotal accomplishment in human history, because of their location, age, and massive collections of horse remains. After years of investigation there, this international team is now poised to consummate its work with definitive evidence for nascent horse domestication and an understanding of the lifeways of early horse herders.
Sandra Olsen will investigate the animal bones from two settlements, over 90% of which are from horses. Olsen will explore evidence for hunting, the use of packhorses, butchery, fat extraction, milk production, and ritual sacrifice. Mechanical tests shattering frozen horse bones will determine whether certain fracture patterns indicate winter occupation. Richard Evershed will analyze pottery residues to look for milk fat lipids. Finding mare's milk would provide strong evidence for domestication, since wild horses would not have been milked. Koumiss, or fermented mare's milk, would be an extremely beneficial source of vitamins. Analysis of the stone tool assemblages by Bruce Bradley will be accompanied by exploration for prehistoric quarries. The study will investigate behavior modification once packhorses became available to transport heavy stone from distant quarries to the settlements. Remote sensing, performed by David Maki, will locate possible horse corrals to be tested for the presence of horse manure. The techniques to be employed include soil micromorphological analysis by Charles French, pollen analysis by Robert Scaife, and soil chemical analysis by Richard Evershed to detect sterols and bile acids typically found in horse feces.
The proposed research will have broad impact on Eurasian archaeology in clarifying the myriad roles of horses in prehistoric societies. A detailed understanding of early horse domestication will illuminate the rise of Eurasian pastoralists and their impact on neighboring sedentary communities. The team of scientists will attack this elusive subject using a combination of fresh approaches, uniting local Kazakh archaeologists' knowledge with innovative Western methods in a synergistic manner. This endeavor in such an archaeological frontier will provide a unique opportunity for international scientific exchange through professional collaboration and training of young Kazakh and American scientists. The research results will be disseminated through a variety of popular media, including radio, television, newspapers, museum exhibits, and the Internet.
