Emily Chan
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.
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
