Scientists have discovered the remains of the world's first horsemen - they are 5,000 years old

The very first transport of people, obviously, werehorses. However, to this day it is not known exactly who first began to use these animals for riding. Initially, they were bred for completely different purposes - about 5500 years ago they provided people with meat and milk. Presumably, the first domestic mounts spread across the territory of Eurasia 4000 years ago. As reported in one of the recent studies, the ancestors of the first domestic horses lived in the south of modern Russia. However, the question of who first began to use horses for riding remained open. Now, scientists have managed to find the remains of ancient people in the burials of the Yamnaya culture, which give a hint about who these people were, who became the first horsemen.

Scientists have discovered the remains of the very first horsemen, whose age is 5000 years

Who first started using horses for riding

In southeastern Europe aretens of thousands of burial mounds in the form of characteristic hills, which can be found especially often in the steppes. Scientists examined more than 200 of these ancient burials between 2019 and 2022, where human remains were found.

The study showed that more than 20 skeletons,found in burials in Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria show signs of spinal problems caused by horseback riding. Basically, all the skeletons belong to nomadic pitmen. This culture appeared around 3200 BC and gradually spread to Eastern Europe. Accordingly, riding horses appeared earlier than the other study we discussed earlier suggests.

Scientists have studied more than 200 burial mounds that belong to the period of the Yamnaya culture.

That these people used to ride a lot,say such characteristic features, including injuries of the lower vertebrae, as well as deformation of the pelvic bones and hip bones. Scientists have found similar signs in the remains of four people who are believed to have belonged to cultures under the influence of the Yamniks. The authors of the work report this in the publication Scientific Advances.

Horse riding could have appeared even earlier?

The remains found in the mounds at the present timeare the oldest evidence that people rode horseback. However, this is not yet proof that it was the Pitmen who were the very first to ride horses.

Examination of the remains showed the presence of vertebral injuries characteristic of people who often ride horses.

A large number of riders among those discoveredskeletons suggests that horseback riding was common in southeastern Europe 5,000 years ago. From this it can be assumed that horses began to be used as vehicles long before the time to which the discovered remains belong.

Why did ancient people ride horses?

According to the researchers, it is unlikely thatPitmen used horses for military purposes, as previously suggested. Most likely, horseback riding made a significant contribution to the development of the pastoral business. This is evidenced by the fact that the horses used by the pitmen were too timid to fight.

According to researchers, pit horses wereless modern. In particular, they had shorter, but stocky legs. They also had powerful chests. Horses, which were later harnessed to war chariots, were most likely genetically selected, as they were more courageous and warlike.

The horses used for war chariots were different from those of the pitmen.

As for the ancient equipment for ridingdriving, there is very little archaeological evidence. This is most likely due to the fact that it was originally made from materials that do not persist in the ground for thousands of years. Apparently, the first riders put mats on the backs of horses. Full-fledged saddles were invented about 3000 years ago, and stirrups were invented even later.

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Previously, scientists believed that the rapid spreadYamnaya culture was associated with the conquest of lands by mounted warriors. However, recent research suggests that it was the mobility of the Pitmen, and not militancy, that played the key role. Earlier, we talked about the fact that the spread of these people across the territory of Eurasia was facilitated by a milk diet, which made it possible to travel long distances in the steppes without water.

Most likely, the pitmen used riding horses for peaceful purposes.

According to scientists, the distribution of pits alongthe territory of Eurasia at that time left a mark in European culture. In particular, the Yamnaya culture contributed to the development of European languages. Many words and grammar of the Indo-European languages ​​are borrowed from the language of the Yamniks. Recall that the Indo-European languages ​​include Greek and Latin, as well as Germanic, Slavic and Celtic languages. In fact, the development of horseback riding by ancient people affected modern languages.