An Integrated, Multidisciplinary Investigation of Early Horse Pastoralism in Northern Kazakhstan

驯化马匹以各种各样的方式改变了社会，对地缘政治的影响不亚于史前任何其他事件。无数帝国的兴衰取决于他们的马术敏锐性和骑兵规模。马帮助运输货物和人员，并极大地加速了技术和语言的传播。然而，在一开始，马是最重要的，因为它们对人类饮食的贡献，无论是作为肉类产品还是作为运输猎人。尽管早期的马匹驯化经历了广泛的研究，但很少有网站提供关于它是如何发生的足够的信息。对于马来说，识别早期家畜驯化的传统方法是有问题的。早期马匹种群的大小和形态变化太过复杂，屠宰年龄模式也同样复杂。关于家马最有可能的祖先--中全新世马的地理分布的不完整数据，加剧了这个问题。哈萨克斯坦北部的大型铜器时代博泰聚落拥有理解这一人类历史上关键成就的最大希望，因为它们的位置、年代和大量的马匹遗骸。在那里进行了多年的调查后，这个国际团队现在准备完善自己的工作，提供新生的驯马的确凿证据，并了解早期牧马人的生活方式。桑德拉·奥尔森将对来自两个定居点的动物骨骼进行调查，其中90%以上来自马。奥尔森将探索狩猎、使用牧马匹、屠宰、提取脂肪、生产牛奶和祭祀仪式的证据。粉碎冰冻马骨的机械测试将确定某些骨折模式是否表明冬季活动。理查德·埃弗谢德将分析陶器残留物以寻找乳脂。找到马奶将为驯化提供强有力的证据，因为野马不会被挤奶。酸马奶，或发酵的马奶，将是一种非常有益的维生素来源。布鲁斯·布拉德利对石器组合的分析将伴随着对史前采石场的探索。这项研究将调查一旦背负马可以将沉重的石块从遥远的采石场运送到定居点时的行为改变。由大卫·马基执行的遥感技术将定位可能的马栏，以检测马粪的存在。将采用的技术包括查尔斯·弗兰奇的土壤微形态分析，罗伯特·斯凯夫的花粉分析，以及理查德·埃弗谢德的土壤化学分析，以检测通常在马粪中发现的类固醇和胆汁酸。拟议的研究将对欧亚考古学产生广泛影响，澄清马在史前社会中的各种角色。对早期马匹驯化的详细了解将阐明欧亚牧民的崛起及其对邻近定居社区的影响。科学家团队将使用新方法的组合来解决这个难以捉摸的问题，以协同的方式将当地哈萨克考古学家的知识与创新的西方方法结合起来。在这样一个考古前沿的努力将为通过专业合作和培训年轻的哈萨克和美国科学家进行国际科学交流提供一个独特的机会。研究成果将通过各种大众媒体传播，包括广播、电视、报纸、博物馆展品和互联网。

Horse domestication changed societies in myriad ways, affecting geopolitics as much as any other event in prehistory. Countless empires rose and fell depending on their equestrian acumen and cavalry size. Horses aided in transporting goods and people and greatly accelerated the spread of technology and languages. In the beginning, however, horses were most important for their contribution to human diet, both as meat products and for transporting hunters. Although early horse domestication has undergone extensive research, few sites have provided sufficient information about how it happened. Traditional methods for identifying incipient livestock domestication are problematic for horses. Size and morphological changes are too variable in early horse populations and slaughter age patterns are equally complex. Incomplete data on the mid-Holocene geographic distribution of Equus ferus, the domestic horse's most likely ancestor, compounds the problem. The large Copper Age Botai settlements of northern Kazakhstan hold the greatest promise for understanding this pivotal accomplishment in human history, because of their location, age, and massive collections of horse remains. After years of investigation there, this international team is now poised to consummate its work with definitive evidence for nascent horse domestication and an understanding of the lifeways of early horse herders. Sandra Olsen will investigate the animal bones from two settlements, over 90% of which are from horses. Olsen will explore evidence for hunting, the use of packhorses, butchery, fat extraction, milk production, and ritual sacrifice. Mechanical tests shattering frozen horse bones will determine whether certain fracture patterns indicate winter occupation. Richard Evershed will analyze pottery residues to look for milk fat lipids. Finding mare's milk would provide strong evidence for domestication, since wild horses would not have been milked. Koumiss, or fermented mare's milk, would be an extremely beneficial source of vitamins. Analysis of the stone tool assemblages by Bruce Bradley will be accompanied by exploration for prehistoric quarries. The study will investigate behavior modification once packhorses became available to transport heavy stone from distant quarries to the settlements. Remote sensing, performed by David Maki, will locate possible horse corrals to be tested for the presence of horse manure. The techniques to be employed include soil micromorphological analysis by Charles French, pollen analysis by Robert Scaife, and soil chemical analysis by Richard Evershed to detect sterols and bile acids typically found in horse feces.The proposed research will have broad impact on Eurasian archaeology in clarifying the myriad roles of horses in prehistoric societies. A detailed understanding of early horse domestication will illuminate the rise of Eurasian pastoralists and their impact on neighboring sedentary communities. The team of scientists will attack this elusive subject using a combination of fresh approaches, uniting local Kazakh archaeologists' knowledge with innovative Western methods in a synergistic manner. This endeavor in such an archaeological frontier will provide a unique opportunity for international scientific exchange through professional collaboration and training of young Kazakh and American scientists. The research results will be disseminated through a variety of popular media, including radio, television, newspapers, museum exhibits, and the Internet.