A 5th-Century Painted Mongolian Saddle Was Found In An Ancient Tomb, Shedding Light On The Origins Of Equestrianism In Medieval Warfare
One of the earliest examples of modern horse riding comes from a 5th-century painted Mongolian frame saddle that was discovered in an ancient tomb.
Its excellent preservation allowed researchers to gain more insight into the origins of equestrianism’s role in medieval warfare.
The saddle was made of wood and had iron stirrups. It was previously looted from a cave burial. Radiocarbon dating of a sample of the saddle and of human remains in the tomb showed that the saddle dates back to around 420 A.D. It is the oldest of its kind in the entire world.
The cave burial was found in 2015 at Urd Ulaan Uneet near the province of Khovd, located in western Mongolia.
A number of artifacts were recovered, including mummified animal remains, wooden archery equipment, an iron bit, and a birch saddle painted red and black with leather straps on each side.
There were also the bones of a human buried in sheep-and-badger hide clothing. Through DNA testing, researchers discovered that the human was a man, and the animal was a horse.
“Our study raises the possibility that the Eastern Steppe played a key role in the early development and spread of the frame saddle and stirrup,” wrote the researchers.
Modern horses were first domesticated in Western and Central Asia around 2000 B.C. Nomadic riders used them to support their mobile lifestyle. In the beginning, equestrianism was conducted bareback.
Riders gripped the sides of the horse with their legs and held onto the horse’s mane while armed with bows and arrows.
MICHEL – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual horses
Within a few centuries, people in the northern steppes invented the bridle and bit. Around 1000 B.C., they started riding on a soft pad. Rigid saddles with stirrups are a more recent innovation.
Until the Mongolian frame saddle was found, it had always been unclear when they originated because organic materials don’t usually preserve well in the steppe’s harsh climate.
The invention of the rigid saddle and stirrups revolutionized horse riding. Riders could use them for stability or for standing up, leaving their hands free to launch attacks.
Unfortunately, domestication took a toll on the horses. The horse from the cave burial showed changes to the nasal bones and damage to the teeth caused by wearing a bit. The injuries were similar to others found in horse burials in Central and Eastern Asia.
In addition, the Urd Ulaan Uneet horse had “healed nock marks” on its ears. The marks may have been used to indicate who the horse belonged to. Men also weren’t the only ones to ride horses. It is likely that women regularly rode horses as well.
More research is needed to confirm whether wooden frame saddles were developed in the Eastern Steppes, although the research shows that horse cultures of the Eurasian steppes, in general, were at least early users of frame saddles and stirrups.
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