Rethinking the evidence for early horse domestication at Botai.

ABSTRACT: Despite its transformative impact on human history, the early domestication of the horse (Equus caballus) remains exceedingly difficult to trace in the archaeological record. In recent years, a scientific consensus emerged linking the Botai culture of northern Kazakhstan with the first domestication of horses, based on compelling but largely indirect archaeological evidence. A cornerstone of the archaeological case for domestication at Botai is damage to the dentition commonly linked with the use of bridle mouthpieces, or "bit wear." Recent archaeogenetic analyses reveal, however, that horse remains from Botai are not modern domesticates but instead the Przewalski's horse, E. przewalskii-warranting reevaluation of evidence for domestication. Here, we compare osteological traits hypothesize

SUBMITTER: Taylor WTT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8018961 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature