Horses interred in human graves The oldest possible archaeological indicator of a changed relationship between horses and humans is the appearance about 4800–4400 BCE of horse bones and carved images of horses in Chalcolithic graves of the early Khvalynsk culture and the Samara culture in the middle Volga region of Russia. At the Khvalynsk cemetery near the town of Khvalynsk, 158 graves of this period were excavated. Of these, 26 graves contained parts of sacrificed domestic animals, and additional sacrifices occurred in ritual deposits on the original ground surface above the graves. Ten graves contained parts of lower horse legs; two of these also contained the bones of domesticated cattle and sheep. At least 52 domesticated sheep or goats, 23 domesticated cattle, and 11 horses were sacrificed at Khvalynsk. The inclusion of horses with cattle and sheep and the exclusion of obviously wild animals together suggest that horses were categorized symbolically with domesticated animals.
hoRSes InteRRed in hUman gRaves tHe oldeSt PossibLE archAeOlogical indicator of a CHaNGed ReLatiOnShip between horSeS and hUMaNs Is tHe AppeARancE about 4800–4400 BcE of hOrsE BoNEs And cARVed imAges Of hoR,Ses in ChalcoLithic graVEs of the earlY kHvaLyNSk CuLture and tHe SaMarA CulturE iN thE Middle VolGa reGion of RusSIa. at thE KhvaLynsk cemeTEry near the TOWn of KhvALynsk, 158 graVes OF thiS peRiod Were excAVated. of these, 26 graVeS containeD partS of sacriFIcED doMEStiC aNimalS, AND additiONal SacriFIces ocCUrred in riTual deposItS On the OrIginal GRound sUrFaCe abOvE the graVeS. teN gRaves conTAIneD paRtS OF lOweR hOrse legs; two Of thEse Also conTaineD THE bones of dOmesTicaTEd cAttle aNd shEeP. AT lEaSt 52 DomestiCaTeD sheep or goAts 23 domesTiCAted cAttle, AnD 11 horseS were sAcRiFiCeD at khvalYNsK. The INcluSION of hoRsES with cattle And SheeP and tHe EXclusioN oF OBviOuSLy Wild animals tOgeTHer suggest thAt horSEs Were categoRIzeD SymbOLicAllY WIth DOmEsTicaTeD AniMals.