Biomolecular evidence reveals mares and long-distance imported horses sacrificed by the last pagans in temperate Europe.

The research paper explains that both local and long-distance imported horses, including mares, were used in sacrificial rituals by the last pagan societies in Eastern Europe, contradicting earlier beliefs that such rituals were limited to locally sourced male horses.

Research Objective and Methods

• The main aim of this research was to challenge the existing understanding of animal selection for sacrificial purposes by pagan communities in Eastern Europe particularly those in Balt cemeteries spanning the 1st to the 13th centuries CE.
• Strontium isotope analysis was employed to uncover the origins of the horses used in these rituals, enabling the researchers to establish whether these animals were local or imported over long distances for the purpose of sacrifice.
• The team also conducted a genetic analysis of the animal remains to determine their sex.

Research Findings

• The strontium isotope analysis showed that horses had been transported to Eastern Europe from Fennoscandia, travelling distances ranging from 300 to 1500 kilometers during the Late Viking Age, which spanned the 11th to 13th centuries CE.
• Through genetic analysis, it was revealed that both male and female horses were sacrificed, with 34% being identified as mares, thus debunking previous assertions that only male horses were used in these rituals.
• Both these findings suggest that the prevalent narratives about animal selection for these sacrificial practices are incorrect and that prestige value rather than the sex of the animals was a more important factor in selection.

Bigger Picture and Future Implications

• The researchers suggest that these findings provide insight into inter-cultural interactions in the region, hinting at the influence Christianized societies may have had on the persisting pagan practices right up until the medieval transition.
• The research also unveiled a reference Sr/Sr isoscape for the southeastern Baltic, offering a tool for future studies on animal mobility in this historical period.