Introduction
Concept Map Explanation
Our concept map traces the origin of the horse from its four foundation breeds through its eventual domestication and transformation of a variety of human cultures. Surrounding our maps’ main idea are supporting topics that shed light on the history of horses and their interactions with humans in various parts of the globe.
The first topic emphasized on our concept map is a description of the Four Foundation horse breeds, whose genes have combined and evolved to create the variety of modern breeds today. Originating in different parts of the Old World, the four breeds (the Prezwalski horse, Arabian, Draft, and Warmblood) all embody distinctive characteristics and unique body structures that not only adapted them to their environment, but made them suitable for domestication in a variety of ways. Different breeds excelled in certain areas, some possessing great physical strength or high endurance.
While humans had interacted with horses for years (mostly hunting them for meat), the first people to domesticate the horse were the Botai people living in Northern Kazakhstan. Here, evidence shows that they not only hunted horses, but used them for transportation and milk.
In the Americas, the horse went extinct about 10,000 years before the present, due in part to over-hunting by the Clovis people, who used them as a food source. Wild horses were not present in the western continents until the Age of Exploration, when Spanish explorers reintroduced the domestic horse to the Americas. During this time, they were quickly incorporated into native peoples' agriculture and transportation cultures. In Europe, the Magdalenian people living in France interacted with horses, as evidenced by paintings found in the Lascaux caves depicting the animals being hunted. It is believed the paintings were created for religious purposes. Through Middle Eastern trade routes, horse domestication eventually spread from Kazakhstan to Europe by 2500 BC, where they were ridden and used for pulling carts. The horse was considered a luxury item, and was used mainly by the elite class in religious ceremonies.
In Africa, nomadic peoples used the horse for transportation until the changing climate and desiccation of the area made camel transportation more practical. The harsh conditions and introduction of the camel to the region stopped the spread of the horse throughout other portions of Africa. In Egypt, however, the horse had special significance, as is evident through the existence of tomb art which features horses as a military asset as well as a decorative accessory.
In China, the cultures of the Yangshao province used horses extensively as their civilization developed. Interactions with other groups such as the Mongols facilitated the introduction of horses to warfare, which dramatically changed how battles were fought. Several technological advances related to horses also contributed to this change in military warfare. The development of the chariot by Sumerians around 2300 BC and the stirrup, which became widespread around 700 BC, allowed close contact fighting.
While the first evidenced domestication of horses in Kazakhstan is important in its history with humans, its adoption by different societies in different time periods shaped not only the genetic evolution of horses, but the evolution of different cultures. Separately, everyday operations like farming and towing were made easier and more efficient, allowing civilizations to flourish. In the context of the global web, the domestication of the horse changed inter-civilization methods of traveling, trading, and fighting. As an early human practice, horse domestication had a great impact on all of the ancient world, and its legacy lives on today.