An international research team, including scientists from Griffith University, has provided direct evidence that Iron Age Scythian populations consumed milk from horses and other ruminant animals. The study, published in PLOS One, utilized advanced paleo-proteomic analysis of ancient dental calculus from individuals in modern-day Ukraine, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of Scythian dietary practices and societal structures.
Introduction to the Research
The study investigated the dietary practices of Iron Age Scythian populations through the analysis of ancient dental calculus. This research offers direct evidence that their diet included milk from horses and other ruminants, such as cattle, sheep, and goats.
Revising Historical Perceptions
Historically, Scythians have often been characterized as a unified group of horse-back warrior nomads. However, recent genetic and isotopic studies have indicated that they constituted a diverse, multi-ethnic population with varied subsistence strategies, ranging from pastoralism to agriculturalism. The new findings contribute to this evolving understanding of Scythian lifestyles and food systems.
Methodology and Key Findings
The research team applied advanced paleo-proteomic analysis to ancient dental calculus, which is mineralized plaque, from individuals excavated at Bilsk and Mamai-Gora in modern-day Ukraine. Dental calculus serves as a reservoir of an individual's dietary history, preserving consumed proteins over a person's lifetime.
The analysis identified species-specific proteins associated with dairy consumption, including whey, curd, and milk-fat-globule membrane proteins, derived from both ruminant animals and horses. The identification of horse milk proteins in ancient plaque is considered a significant finding. Researchers noted that the scarcity of these specific findings prompts questions regarding potential preservation bias or cultural patterns, such as status-based hierarchies or specific divisions of livestock functionality.
Future Research Directions
The research team stated that further studies are necessary to fully clarify the dynamic and multifaceted food systems of Iron Age steppe peoples. Future investigations will involve analyzing dental calculus from a greater number of individuals across the Eurasian steppe to address existing questions and expand on the current findings.