Horses (Part 1) | Hoof Beats with Dr. William Taylor - Ethno 23

In this episode of Ethnocynology, host David Ian Howe sits down with archaeologist and anthropologist Dr. William Taylor (University of Colorado Boulder), author of Hoofbeats: How Horses Shaped Human History.While this show usually focuses on dogs, today we shift to the other animal that transformed humanity: the horse. Dr. Taylor walks us through the evolutionary history of horses, their domestication on the Eurasian steppe, and their reintroduction to the Americas after the Ice Age. Together we explore how humans first interacted with horses—as prey, symbols in cave art, sources of milk and meat, and eventually as partners in transport, warfare, and belief systems.Topics include:The origins of domestic horses around 2000 BC in the Caucasus steppesHorses evolving in North America, going extinct, and being reintroduced by the SpanishHunting evidence from sites like Schöningen in Germany and Bluefish Caves in the YukonHorses in Paleolithic cave art (Lascaux, Chauvet) and the Vogelherd ivory carvingEvidence for early horse riding and chariot use in Egypt, Assyria, and beyondThe role of horses in indigenous North and South American societies before widespread European contactEthno-equine parallels in Mongolia, Australia, and Patagonia, where horses shaped cultural, spiritual, and economic lifeThis is Part 1 of a two-part series: next time, David speaks with Cassidy Thornhill of the University of Wyoming, who researches the protohistoric introduction of horses into the Americas.If you enjoy the episode, please rate and review Ethnocynology on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It helps more people discover the show and supports the entire Archaeology Podcast Network.Links:Hoofbeats: How Horses Shaped Human History by Dr. William Taylor — available on Amazon and other retailers.davidianhowe.comDavidianhowe.com/storeArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN ShopAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.