World History Under the Horse's Hoof
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Description
Book Introduction
The relationship between humans and horses changed human history forever.
Horses, which possess the greatest speed and strength among livestock, have been at the center of human economy and culture since 3,000 years ago thanks to their unique horsepower, and have played a leading role in world history for thousands of years.
Examining the history of horses is also an act of expanding the central stage of world history to Eurasia, Africa, South America, and other places.
From the origins and survival of the horse, to the transformation of wild horses into domesticated ones, and the revolutionary invention of saddlery, "A World History Under Horse Hooves" comprehensively captures the dynamic moments that shaped human civilization as horses spread across the globe.
William T., an archaeologist and explorer who traveled to Mongolia, Russia, and other places in search of horse hoof prints.
Drawing on the latest archaeological data, Taylor delves deeply into the history of horse-driven travel, offering new answers to age-old questions.
The winner of the 2024 Newcomb Cleveland Award, given by the Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to authors of the best scientific papers, this promising young researcher's first book received rave reviews from international academic journals and media outlets, including Science, The New York Times, and The Guardian, immediately after its publication.
Horses, which possess the greatest speed and strength among livestock, have been at the center of human economy and culture since 3,000 years ago thanks to their unique horsepower, and have played a leading role in world history for thousands of years.
Examining the history of horses is also an act of expanding the central stage of world history to Eurasia, Africa, South America, and other places.
From the origins and survival of the horse, to the transformation of wild horses into domesticated ones, and the revolutionary invention of saddlery, "A World History Under Horse Hooves" comprehensively captures the dynamic moments that shaped human civilization as horses spread across the globe.
William T., an archaeologist and explorer who traveled to Mongolia, Russia, and other places in search of horse hoof prints.
Drawing on the latest archaeological data, Taylor delves deeply into the history of horse-driven travel, offering new answers to age-old questions.
The winner of the 2024 Newcomb Cleveland Award, given by the Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to authors of the best scientific papers, this promising young researcher's first book received rave reviews from international academic journals and media outlets, including Science, The New York Times, and The Guardian, immediately after its publication.
- You can preview some of the book's contents.
Preview
index
Opening remarks
First Step: Words and People
1.
evolution
2.
connection
3.
The tamed period
Second Step: The Cart
4.
wheel
5.
tank
Third Step: The Horseman
6.
oracle bone script
7.
horse riding
8.
Horsemen
9.
Silk Road and Chamagodo
10.
Steppe Empires
11.
Empires of the Desert and Savannah
Step Four: The World
12.
Horses Going to the Sea
13.
Homecoming
14.
pampas
15.
Pacific
16.
Iron Horse
17.
Footsteps of a horse
Acknowledgements
main
References
Search
First Step: Words and People
1.
evolution
2.
connection
3.
The tamed period
Second Step: The Cart
4.
wheel
5.
tank
Third Step: The Horseman
6.
oracle bone script
7.
horse riding
8.
Horsemen
9.
Silk Road and Chamagodo
10.
Steppe Empires
11.
Empires of the Desert and Savannah
Step Four: The World
12.
Horses Going to the Sea
13.
Homecoming
14.
pampas
15.
Pacific
16.
Iron Horse
17.
Footsteps of a horse
Acknowledgements
main
References
Search
Detailed image
Into the book
The most fundamental problem for horses adapting to the grasslands was finding a way to eat grass.
How can such a large organism survive on such thin, stiff plants? They're even called "blades" in English because they resemble swords, and their cellulose and silica walls make them incredibly difficult to digest? One answer lies in the horse's specialized teeth.
--- p.22 From "Evolution"
Archaeological records suggest that anatomically modern humans hunted wild Kavalan horses in harem herds, using topographical features, including rivers and lakes, to herd them to desired locations and then ambushed them.
Paleolithic hunters often took advantage of naturally formed valleys, terraces, and shallow waterways near water to ambush groups of horses.
When space is limited, horses have nowhere to run, so they cannot take advantage of their tremendous speed.
--- From "Connection" on p.34~35
But the social impact of horse riding also had more diverse implications.
Because the special equipment required for horseback riding was minimal, horses were more accessible on the steppes than chariots.
When shooting arrows from horseback, women were as threatening and effective as men on the battlefield.
Women are frequently found in historical and archaeological evidence, including warrior tombs, from this period.
Based on this, it seems likely that the early equestrian era in the Scythian and Saka world offered many opportunities for female warriors.
--- p.164 From "Horse Riding"
The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor contained not only terracotta horse models but also real horses.
Recent research analyzing the bones of 24 horses excavated from the burial site of the Qin Shi Huang's tomb suggests that the burials were chosen for tall, adult males used for horseback riding.
The number of cavalry employed by the Jin dynasty would have been smaller than that of later empires.
There were probably only about 10,000 light cavalry and 1,000 chariots.
However, based on the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, it is clear that even such a limited number was a military and cultural force that brought about change during the early unification of China.
--- p.176 From “The Horsemen”
Perhaps the most innovative technology to emerge from the steppe was the stirrup and frame saddle.
Today, stirrups and frame saddles are so synonymous with horse riding that it is difficult to imagine riding without them.
However, during the first few hundred years of the equestrian era, neither existed.
As mounted combat became more common, maintaining balance while on horseback during battle became increasingly important, and creative methods were sought to achieve this.
--- p.188 From "Steppe Empires"
South American indigenous horse cultures developed a deep knowledge of horse behavior and used this knowledge to gain superior tactical advantages on the battlefield.
They were a step ahead of the European colonial conquerors.
There was one particularly outstanding example in Argentina.
A large herd of wild horses, with burning objects tied to their tails, charged the European settlers' camp, causing the horses to panic and scatter, and the dismounted Europeans were defeated by the native cavalry.
--- p.265 From "Pampas"
The world's transportation infrastructure, although gradually mechanized over the centuries, still relies on horse-based technologies, road systems, and traditions.
Cars, roads, and trains were designed based on features inherited from the horse era.
Even the distances between cities and towns are like that.
The horse paths are now paved highways for petroleum-powered cars.
And the climate change crisis linked to automobile exhaust fumes is rapidly escalating.
(…) To discover a better transportation system for the future, we must understand the pros and cons of the industrial-era transportation systems that replaced horses, and find new ways to make the old horse-powered transportation system sustainable within modern solutions.
How can such a large organism survive on such thin, stiff plants? They're even called "blades" in English because they resemble swords, and their cellulose and silica walls make them incredibly difficult to digest? One answer lies in the horse's specialized teeth.
--- p.22 From "Evolution"
Archaeological records suggest that anatomically modern humans hunted wild Kavalan horses in harem herds, using topographical features, including rivers and lakes, to herd them to desired locations and then ambushed them.
Paleolithic hunters often took advantage of naturally formed valleys, terraces, and shallow waterways near water to ambush groups of horses.
When space is limited, horses have nowhere to run, so they cannot take advantage of their tremendous speed.
--- From "Connection" on p.34~35
But the social impact of horse riding also had more diverse implications.
Because the special equipment required for horseback riding was minimal, horses were more accessible on the steppes than chariots.
When shooting arrows from horseback, women were as threatening and effective as men on the battlefield.
Women are frequently found in historical and archaeological evidence, including warrior tombs, from this period.
Based on this, it seems likely that the early equestrian era in the Scythian and Saka world offered many opportunities for female warriors.
--- p.164 From "Horse Riding"
The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor contained not only terracotta horse models but also real horses.
Recent research analyzing the bones of 24 horses excavated from the burial site of the Qin Shi Huang's tomb suggests that the burials were chosen for tall, adult males used for horseback riding.
The number of cavalry employed by the Jin dynasty would have been smaller than that of later empires.
There were probably only about 10,000 light cavalry and 1,000 chariots.
However, based on the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, it is clear that even such a limited number was a military and cultural force that brought about change during the early unification of China.
--- p.176 From “The Horsemen”
Perhaps the most innovative technology to emerge from the steppe was the stirrup and frame saddle.
Today, stirrups and frame saddles are so synonymous with horse riding that it is difficult to imagine riding without them.
However, during the first few hundred years of the equestrian era, neither existed.
As mounted combat became more common, maintaining balance while on horseback during battle became increasingly important, and creative methods were sought to achieve this.
--- p.188 From "Steppe Empires"
South American indigenous horse cultures developed a deep knowledge of horse behavior and used this knowledge to gain superior tactical advantages on the battlefield.
They were a step ahead of the European colonial conquerors.
There was one particularly outstanding example in Argentina.
A large herd of wild horses, with burning objects tied to their tails, charged the European settlers' camp, causing the horses to panic and scatter, and the dismounted Europeans were defeated by the native cavalry.
--- p.265 From "Pampas"
The world's transportation infrastructure, although gradually mechanized over the centuries, still relies on horse-based technologies, road systems, and traditions.
Cars, roads, and trains were designed based on features inherited from the horse era.
Even the distances between cities and towns are like that.
The horse paths are now paved highways for petroleum-powered cars.
And the climate change crisis linked to automobile exhaust fumes is rapidly escalating.
(…) To discover a better transportation system for the future, we must understand the pros and cons of the industrial-era transportation systems that replaced horses, and find new ways to make the old horse-powered transportation system sustainable within modern solutions.
--- p.285~286 From “The Footsteps of Horses”
Publisher's Review
Following in the footsteps of words at the origin of human civilization
Expanding the horizons of world history with new discoveries in horse culture!
★ Recommended by 『Science』 『The New York Times』 『The Guardian』
★ Includes various maps and color illustrations
★ Rich illustrations vividly recreate thousands of years of history.
How Wild Horses Became Human Companions
“Human life still moves to the sound of horse hooves.”
What animal appears most frequently in Paleolithic cave paintings? Many would think of the bison depicted in the Chauvet Cave paintings in France, but in fact, it's the horse that's most frequently depicted.
An analysis of more than 4,700 images from European Paleolithic art found that horses account for about a third of all animal images.
So when did the close relationship between horses and humans begin?
William T., an archaeologist who has studied horse domestication at sites in Eurasia, North America, and South America,
In "A History of the World Beneath the Horse's Hoof," Taylor explores the origins of the horse and the thousands of years of history that horses and humans have created together.
During the Pleistocene Ice Age, proto-horses living in North America crossed the Bering Land Bridge connecting Siberia and Alaska and spread throughout Eurasia and Africa.
Early humans hunted wild horses and used their meat, milk, hide, and bones to make food, clothing, and tools.
The domestication of horses began with the invention of the chariot.
Domesticated horses spread to ancient societies in Europe, Asia, and North Africa, where they were used for transportation by pastoralists.
To control the speed of the horses, bridles, bits, and light spokes were invented, and the mobility of the herders was further expanded thanks to horses and new carts.
Furthermore, the advent of horseback riding led to the invention of innovative tools such as saddles and stirrups, further flourishing horse culture and making it the core of a pastoral lifestyle characterized by mobility.
The history of language is the history of humanity.
“The relationship between humans and horses is not a metaphor, but a reality engraved on the earth.”
"A World History Under Horseshoes" focuses on historical sites where horses and humans have coexisted for thousands of years.
Particularly striking is the Eurasian continent.
Horse domestication and riding sparked the Steppe Renaissance.
The steppe culture was able to use horses in battle, enabling them to wage cavalry warfare and to bring about the geopolitical power of the agricultural culture formed around the river.
As the history of the 13th-century Mongol Empire shows, horses played a major role in establishing the steppe rulers as a global superpower.
As the Eurasian steppe region emerged as a cultural, economic, and global center, the demand for horses grew.
As colonial business and maritime trade flourished in the 16th century, horses spread further around the world.
The domesticated horse that accompanied European colonization of South America took root in the indigenous societies of the South American interior and triggered changes in the lives of the indigenous people.
Horses also gave rise to new equestrian traditions in Africa and Australasia.
Even into the 19th century, horses continued to play an important role in transportation, agriculture, and military affairs.
From the Khangai Mountains of Mongolia to the Pampas of Argentina, horses have made history across the world.
Re-examining the ancient culture of speech with the latest research data.
“The most important clues come from places that can only be understood through archaeology.”
『World History Under the Horse's Hoof』 is also a chapter where past relics and present technology intersect.
The author meticulously reviews cutting-edge archaeological research utilizing techniques such as ancient DNA genome analysis and radiocarbon dating.
Advances in science and technology have allowed archaeologists to analyze ancient horse bones and discover the earliest domestication of horses and their subsequent spread.
Furthermore, the author tells a story that transcends the limitations of Western-centric historical perspectives by taking an interest in indigenous language cultures that had previously been overlooked by the archaeological community.
It also introduces newly discovered clues to horse culture in archaeologically significant sites that have been neglected in past research, such as the Eurasian steppes and plains.
The precise perspective of a dedicated and passionate researcher who has consistently conducted research in places like Mongolia and Russia reveals a previously undiscovered side of world history.
A wealth of visual aids, including on-site photographs, a variety of maps, and illustrations by professional illustrators, vividly recreate thousands of years of history, adding to the enjoyment of readers' archaeological journey.
Expanding the horizons of world history with new discoveries in horse culture!
★ Recommended by 『Science』 『The New York Times』 『The Guardian』
★ Includes various maps and color illustrations
★ Rich illustrations vividly recreate thousands of years of history.
How Wild Horses Became Human Companions
“Human life still moves to the sound of horse hooves.”
What animal appears most frequently in Paleolithic cave paintings? Many would think of the bison depicted in the Chauvet Cave paintings in France, but in fact, it's the horse that's most frequently depicted.
An analysis of more than 4,700 images from European Paleolithic art found that horses account for about a third of all animal images.
So when did the close relationship between horses and humans begin?
William T., an archaeologist who has studied horse domestication at sites in Eurasia, North America, and South America,
In "A History of the World Beneath the Horse's Hoof," Taylor explores the origins of the horse and the thousands of years of history that horses and humans have created together.
During the Pleistocene Ice Age, proto-horses living in North America crossed the Bering Land Bridge connecting Siberia and Alaska and spread throughout Eurasia and Africa.
Early humans hunted wild horses and used their meat, milk, hide, and bones to make food, clothing, and tools.
The domestication of horses began with the invention of the chariot.
Domesticated horses spread to ancient societies in Europe, Asia, and North Africa, where they were used for transportation by pastoralists.
To control the speed of the horses, bridles, bits, and light spokes were invented, and the mobility of the herders was further expanded thanks to horses and new carts.
Furthermore, the advent of horseback riding led to the invention of innovative tools such as saddles and stirrups, further flourishing horse culture and making it the core of a pastoral lifestyle characterized by mobility.
The history of language is the history of humanity.
“The relationship between humans and horses is not a metaphor, but a reality engraved on the earth.”
"A World History Under Horseshoes" focuses on historical sites where horses and humans have coexisted for thousands of years.
Particularly striking is the Eurasian continent.
Horse domestication and riding sparked the Steppe Renaissance.
The steppe culture was able to use horses in battle, enabling them to wage cavalry warfare and to bring about the geopolitical power of the agricultural culture formed around the river.
As the history of the 13th-century Mongol Empire shows, horses played a major role in establishing the steppe rulers as a global superpower.
As the Eurasian steppe region emerged as a cultural, economic, and global center, the demand for horses grew.
As colonial business and maritime trade flourished in the 16th century, horses spread further around the world.
The domesticated horse that accompanied European colonization of South America took root in the indigenous societies of the South American interior and triggered changes in the lives of the indigenous people.
Horses also gave rise to new equestrian traditions in Africa and Australasia.
Even into the 19th century, horses continued to play an important role in transportation, agriculture, and military affairs.
From the Khangai Mountains of Mongolia to the Pampas of Argentina, horses have made history across the world.
Re-examining the ancient culture of speech with the latest research data.
“The most important clues come from places that can only be understood through archaeology.”
『World History Under the Horse's Hoof』 is also a chapter where past relics and present technology intersect.
The author meticulously reviews cutting-edge archaeological research utilizing techniques such as ancient DNA genome analysis and radiocarbon dating.
Advances in science and technology have allowed archaeologists to analyze ancient horse bones and discover the earliest domestication of horses and their subsequent spread.
Furthermore, the author tells a story that transcends the limitations of Western-centric historical perspectives by taking an interest in indigenous language cultures that had previously been overlooked by the archaeological community.
It also introduces newly discovered clues to horse culture in archaeologically significant sites that have been neglected in past research, such as the Eurasian steppes and plains.
The precise perspective of a dedicated and passionate researcher who has consistently conducted research in places like Mongolia and Russia reveals a previously undiscovered side of world history.
A wealth of visual aids, including on-site photographs, a variety of maps, and illustrations by professional illustrators, vividly recreate thousands of years of history, adding to the enjoyment of readers' archaeological journey.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: October 13, 2025
- Page count, weight, size: 400 pages | 712g | 152*224*22mm
- ISBN13: 9791171011896
- ISBN10: 117101189X
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