Ancient Cave Art and Horse Domestication

Introduction

• 30,000 years ago, ancient humans in France depicted animals in caves.
• Prominent artworks include cave lions, woolly rhinos, a long-eared owl, and horses.
• Horses frequently appear in cave art from 30,000 to 12,000 years ago.

Importance of Horses in Ancient Art

• Horses were sources of food and artistic inspiration.
• Their representation in art hints at their significance in ancient human life.

Questions on Horse Domestication

• Did ancient artworks depict the wild horses we domesticated?
• Do modern horses descend from one domesticated population or from multiple origins?
• Evidence from art, archaeology, and ancient DNA is essential for understanding horse domestication.

Differentiating Wild and Feral Horses

• Wild horses depicted in ancient art no longer exist.
• Present-day wild herds are actually feral horses descended from domesticated ones.
• Zywalski's horse is potentially the only true wild horse today.
  • They are endangered and debated if ever domesticated.
  • Shares resemblance with ancient horse depictions but isn’t an ancestor of modern horses.

The Botai Settlement Theory

• Initially thought to be the origin of horse domestication 5,500 years ago in Kazakhstan.
• Evidence included horse remains, pottery with horse meat residues, and teeth wear suggesting riding.
• 2018 genetic analyses showed no modern horse lineage connection.
• 2021 studies suggested Botai populations harvested horses rather than domesticated them.

Discovering the True Domestication Event

• A massive DNA study in 2021 sequenced genomes of 273 ancient horses from the past 50,000 years.
• Found a diverse range of wild horses until 4,000 years ago.
• One lineage exploded and spread rapidly across Eurasia, marking the rise of modern horses.
• Origin traced to the Volga and Don rivers in modern Russia around 4,200 years ago.

Genetic Traits of Successful Domesticated Horses

• Key genetic variants made them ideal for domestication:
  • GSDMC gene: Potentially strengthened spines for carrying weight.
  • ZFPM1 gene: Influenced mood regulation, making them less anxious and more docile.

Impact of Domestic Horses

• By 3,500 years ago, modern horses spread across Eurasia, replacing other populations.
• Transformed human travel, agriculture, and warfare.
• Modern descendants vary widely in size and function, from ponies to draft horses.

Conclusion

• Horses have played a transformative role in human history and continue to captivate us.

Additional Information

• Acknowledgment to supporters and contributors of the Eons project.
• Encouragement to subscribe and support further educational journeys.