News | Where Did Domesticated Horses Come From?

TL;DR

Scientists have discovered that modern domesticated horses originated in the Volga-Dom area of Russia around 4600 to 5500 years ago, and new dating techniques using cosmic radiation events have pinpointed the exact date of the Norse settlement L'Anse aux Meadows to 1021 CE.

Transcript

[♪ INTRO] Domesticating horses completely  changed the way that people lived, traded goods, and fought battles. And from the earliest known efforts  to domesticate a horse species, some 5500 years ago, until trains  were invented about 200 years ago, horses were the fastest way to travel on land. For years, scientists have wondered  where modern do... Read More

Key Insights

• 💨 Domesticating horses revolutionized human societies, enabling faster travel, trade, and military dominance.
• 🏇 Genetic analysis of ancient horse remains has revealed that the genetic origins of modern domesticated horses can be traced back to the Volga-Dom region in Russia, around 4600 to 5500 years ago.
• 🥺 Specific genes found in these horses made them more docile, able to handle stress, and better suited for domestication, leading to their spread and dominance.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 The discovery of the precise date of the Norse settlement L'Anse aux Meadows using cosmic radiation events provides valuable insights into European awareness of the Americas and interactions with indigenous populations.
• 💁 Combining genetic information with other archaeological evidence and mythology can provide a more complete understanding of ancient human populations and their interactions.
• 👯 The researchers propose that people from the Volga-Dom region may have used their horses to conquer other civilizations due to the need for more grazing land.
• 🫱 The combination of war and trade likely contributed to the rapid replacement of other domesticated equine species by the newly domesticated horses in less than 1000 years.

Questions & Answers

Q: Where did modern domesticated horses originate?

Modern domesticated horses originated in the Volga-Dom region of what is now Russia, around 4600 to 5500 years ago, according to DNA analysis of ancient horse remains.

Q: What genes were found in these ancient horses and how did it impact their suitability for domestication?

The researchers discovered genes associated with chronic back pain and painful walking in humans, as well as fear and aggression in mice. These genes made the horses more docile, able to handle stress, and better suited for domestication.

Q: How did the genetic information about ancient horses reveal details about human populations and their interactions?

By combining genetic information with other archaeological evidence and mythology, researchers can learn more about how human populations interacted. It suggests that people from Western Eurasia moved into Europe between 2900 and 2300 BCE, possibly by walking rather than using horse-mounted warfare.

Q: How did scientists use cosmic radiation events to date the Norse settlement L'Anse aux Meadows?

Scientists observed spikes in carbon-14 production in tree rings due to cosmic radiation events like solar flares. They counted the rings of wood from the settlement and found a drop in carbon-14 in ring 29, indicating the year before the 993 CE cosmic radiation event. By counting back, they determined that the settlement was built in 1021 CE.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Researchers analyzed DNA from ancient horse remains and found that the genetic origins of modern domesticated horses can be traced back to the Volga-Dom region in Russia.

• The discovery of specific genes in these horses suggests that they were more docile, able to handle stress, and better suited for domestication, leading to their spread and eventual dominance.

• Using cosmic radiation events and carbon dating of tree rings, scientists have determined that the Norse settlement L'Anse aux Meadows was built in 1021 CE, providing valuable insights into European awareness of the Americas and interactions with indigenous populations.