Dung and corrals Soil scientists working with Sandra Olsen of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History at the Chalcolithic settlements of Botai and Krasnyi Yar in northern Kazakhstan found layers of horse dung, discarded in unused house pits in both settlements. The collection and disposal of horse dung suggests that horses were confined in corrals or stables. An actual corral, dated to 3500–3000 BCE was identified at Krasnyi Yar by a pattern of post holes for a circular fence, with the soils inside the fence yielding ten times more phosphorus than the soils outside. The phosphorus could represent the remains of manure.
dUNg aNd corRaLS soiL sCientists wOrKinG witH Sandra OlsEn oF THE CArNegie MUSEUM oF NaTural HistoRy At The cHAlcOlIthIc sEtTlemenTs oF BOTai and KrasNyi yar in NOrthERn KAZAkhStan fOuNd laYeRS OF horSe duNg, Discarded in uNuSEd hoUsE PitS in bOth SetTlemenTs. THE CollectioN AnD dIsposal of horSe dunG suggests that Horses WeRe CONFiNeD in cOrRAlS Or stAbLEs. an actUAl coRRal, dAtEd to 3500–3000 bCe was IdenTIfIed aT kRasNyi yar bY A pAtTERn oF post HOlEs for A CircUlar fencE, with the soils INSIdE ThE fence yielding ten times mOre phOsPhorUS tHaN the Soils outside. thE pHosphOrus could repReSent THe reMains Of maNUre.