Naturally polled bovines and other domestic animals at the ritual site Ovootyn Uzuur 1, Lake Khövsgöl, Mongolia

Abstract

Naturally polled domestic cattle lack horns due to the presence of a dominant allele of a single autosomal gene. The absence of horns was likely a desirable trait for those working closely with cattle, as horns pose significant hazards to their handlers and other domestic livestock. The archaeological history of polled cattle extends to the Middle Holocene in parts of Eurasia, but it is poorly documented in many areas, including in Mongolia. This paper describes the remains of at least two genetically polled cattle or cattle-yak hybrids recovered from the Ovoontyn Uzuur 1 site at Lake Khövsgöl in northern Mongolia. These appear to be the first polled cattle remains documented from the Eastern Eurasian steppes. The polled bovine remains are directly dated to the Final Bronze Age and were found in association with remains of horses, sheep, and goats in a khirigsuur site. As often seen in such sites, the domestic animal remains largely consist of head and feet elements. These remains likely represent animals that were sacrificed as part of mortuary rites for an important human individual. Polled cattle surely have an unrecognized and far longer history in Mongolia, as cattle were utilized in transport and for milking long prior to the Final Bronze Age.