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First bioanthropological evidence for Yamnaya horsemanship
Martin Trautmann1, Alin Frînculeasa2, Bianca Preda-Bălănică1
1Martin Trautmann, Bianca Preda-Bălănică, Volker Heyd Department of Cultures/Archaeology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Science Advances
|March 3, 2023
Summary
The oldest evidence of horseback riding comes from Yamnaya individuals in Eastern Europe, dated to 3021–2501 BCE. Analysis of their skeletons reveals bone changes and pathologies linked to riding, confirming early human horsemanship.
Area of Science:
- Archaeology
- Paleopathology
- Bioarchaeology
Background:
- Horse domestication is widely accepted around 3500–3000 BCE, but evidence for riding is scarce.
- Early riding equipment rarely survives, and interpreting horse pathologies for riding evidence is debated.
- Human skeletal changes offer a potential direct indicator of horseback riding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the earliest direct skeletal evidence of horseback riding in humans.
- To investigate Yamnaya individuals for pathologies and morphological changes associated with riding.
Main Methods:
- Skeletal analysis of five Yamnaya individuals from Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary.
- Radiocarbon dating of kurgan burials to establish chronological context (3021–2501 BCE).
- Examination for bone morphology and specific pathologies linked to the biomechanics of riding.
Main Results:
- Five Yamnaya individuals displayed skeletal alterations and pathologies consistent with horseback riding.
- These individuals represent the oldest human skeletal remains identified as riders to date.
- The findings provide direct evidence for horsemanship in the Yamnaya culture.
Conclusions:
- The Yamnaya culture (3021–2501 BCE) provides the earliest direct skeletal evidence for human horseback riding.
- Human skeletal analysis is a valuable method for reconstructing the history of horsemanship.
- This discovery pushes back the timeline for confirmed horseback riding significantly.
