Two time slices, three geographical regions and three horse populations: A complex map of Eurasia. (IMAGE)
Caption
Archaeological, osteo-zoological and ancient DNA evidence reveals that three distinct horse populations – DOM1, DOM2, and DOM3 – once ranged from western Siberia to Central Europe. Early taming efforts occurred independently across regions and populations around 3500–3000 BCE, if not centuries earlier. Shortly before 3000 BCE, Yamnaya people were already riding DOM2 horses and bringing these into the western regions. However, only horses from the DOM2 population were fully domesticated between 2200 and 2100 BCE. These horses, spread by mobile human groups, rapidly expanded across Eurasia and into the Middle East, becoming the ancestors of all modern domestic horses.
Credit
Jani Närhi
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For use only in coverage of the study
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Original content