This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/sci/tech/7926235.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Horses tamed earlier than thought | Horses tamed earlier than thought |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Horses were domesticated much earlier than previously thought, according to a team of researchers. | Horses were domesticated much earlier than previously thought, according to a team of researchers. |
| They found evidence suggesting that the animals were used by a culture in northern Kazakhstan 5,500 years ago. | They found evidence suggesting that the animals were used by a culture in northern Kazakhstan 5,500 years ago. |
| Until now, the earliest evidence of horse riding was metal parts from harnesses dating from the Bronze Age. | Until now, the earliest evidence of horse riding was metal parts from harnesses dating from the Bronze Age. |
| Writing in Science, a team from the UK's Exeter University suggested that the community in Kazakhstan rode their horses 1,000 years earlier. | Writing in Science, a team from the UK's Exeter University suggested that the community in Kazakhstan rode their horses 1,000 years earlier. |
| They also ate them and drank their milk, possibly as an alcoholic brew. | They also ate them and drank their milk, possibly as an alcoholic brew. |
| The researchers traced the origins of horse domestication to the Botai culture of Kazakhstan. | The researchers traced the origins of horse domestication to the Botai culture of Kazakhstan. |
| Analysis of ancient bones showed that the horses were a similar shape to domesticated horses from the Bronze Age. | Analysis of ancient bones showed that the horses were a similar shape to domesticated horses from the Bronze Age. |
| The team studied the remains for evidence of damage to their mouths and teeth caused by the riding bits used to harness the animals. | The team studied the remains for evidence of damage to their mouths and teeth caused by the riding bits used to harness the animals. |
| The scientists also analysed the remains of food and drink in pottery and traces of horse meat and milk.Communities in Kazakhstan have been milking horses for thousands of years | The scientists also analysed the remains of food and drink in pottery and traces of horse meat and milk.Communities in Kazakhstan have been milking horses for thousands of years |
| Horse milk is still drunk in Kazakhstan, usually fermented into an alcoholic drink known as koumiss. | Horse milk is still drunk in Kazakhstan, usually fermented into an alcoholic drink known as koumiss. |
| Lead researcher Dr Alan Outram from Exeter University, said horse domestication was an important indication of the state of human civilisation. | Lead researcher Dr Alan Outram from Exeter University, said horse domestication was an important indication of the state of human civilisation. |
| "The domestication of the horse does have implications for human culture globally," he said. | "The domestication of the horse does have implications for human culture globally," he said. |
| "It increases people's ability to trade and it has great advantages in warfare. | "It increases people's ability to trade and it has great advantages in warfare. |
| "So if we are moving the origins of horse domestication much further back, we are going to have to think about the impact on the development of human culture at the time." | "So if we are moving the origins of horse domestication much further back, we are going to have to think about the impact on the development of human culture at the time." |
| Some researchers associate the domestication of the horse with the spread of bronze working across Eurasia thousands of years ago. | Some researchers associate the domestication of the horse with the spread of bronze working across Eurasia thousands of years ago. |
| It may also be linked to the ancient expansion of the Indo-European languages - a widespread language group which today includes English, German, Hindi and Persian. | It may also be linked to the ancient expansion of the Indo-European languages - a widespread language group which today includes English, German, Hindi and Persian. |
| Listen to Dr Outram on the current edition of Science In Action on the BBC World Service. You can also download the programme |