Domestication of Horses and Its Impact on Human Society

Pablo Librado et al., Nature, June 6 2024

A groundbreaking Nature (2024) study by Pablo Librado has rewritten the story of horse domestication. Earlier research linked the first domestication to the Botai culture of Kazakhstan (around 4000 BCE). But new genomic evidence reveals that Yamnaya horses—once thought to be the ancestors of modern breeds—were not the true domestic lineage.

Instead, the DOM2 horses appeared around 2000 BCE, just before the rise of chariot burials and rapid cultural transformations across Eurasia. This marks a pivotal shift in understanding how domesticated horses revolutionized mobility, trade, warfare, and social complexity, shaping early civilizations.

For UPSC Anthropology aspirants, this case exemplifies how genetic (biological anthropology) and archaeological evidence combine to decode human cultural evolution. 

Relevant Questions from Paper I

Q. Enumerate the evidence of animal domestication in Indian microlithic industry. (15 M/2022)