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Altimira, Spain The Altimira cave paintings were found in 1879 The paintings and drawings depicted wild animals including horses, bison, red deer, and boar along with paintings of human hands. They seemed to be done using red, charcoal and ochre They were painted between 16,000-9,000 B.C.E. This would have been 11,000-19,000 years ago. The paintings at Altimira are mainly of bison. Many of them are drawn and then painted using the rock boulders features for the animal’s shoulders. This made them look three-dimensional.
History of the Horse FamilyEquidae: The members of the horse family may be distinguished from the other existing perrisodactyla (rhinoceros and tapir) by their comparatively more slender and agile build. GenusEquus: This includes horses, asses, and zebras.
History of the Horse The first role of the horse with human was as a source of food. • During the Paleolithic Age horses were hunted. • Toward the end of the New Stone Age it is believed that mares were milked for human consumption – a practice still followed in certain parts of the world.
History of the Horse based on archaeological discoveries reported in 1991, the earliest domestication and use of the horse occurred at around 4000 B.C.E. in the Ukrainian steppes ( a treeless, level prairie).
History of the Horse Horses in the military • By 1500 B.C.E. The armies of the Egyptian Pharaoh were using chariots pulled by horses. • Horses were used both as cavalry and to draw vehicles.
History of the Horse Horses used in sport • As early as 1450 B.C.E. the Greeks introduced the horse in the Olympic games, in both chariot and horse races. • Most of the chariots were low, two-wheeled, narrow-track vehicles.
Egyptian Middle Kingdom • About 2,300 B.C.E., the pharaohs lost control of Egypt. • After 200 years of chaos, a new dynasty came to power and moved the capital of Egypt to Thebes where they restored order and stability.
Invasion by the Hyksos • Around 1670 B.C.E., the Middle Kingdom ended as Egypt faced threats from the Hyksos from Western Asia. • The Hyksos crossed the deserts on horse-drawn chariots and used weapons made of bronze and iron. • Egyptians fought on foot with copper and stone weapons and were no match for the Hyksos. • The Hyksos conquered Egypt and ruled for 150 years.
Ahmose 1550 B.C.E. • An Egyptian prince who led an uprising that drove the Hyksos out of Egypt. • His rule began a period known as the New Kingdom. • During the period from 1550 B.C. to 1080 B.C., Egypt became richer and more powerful. • During the New Kingdom, Egypt reached the height of its glory.
Kadesh • One of the Greatest Chariot battle of the ancient world – tactical victory for Egypt over Hittites • Did not end in conquest by one group but in a mutually beneficial peace treaty
The Battle of Kadesh Ramses II at Kadesh Treaty of Kadesh
Questions • How would you interpret the animal and human images found in the cave paintings at Altimira? • When and where were horses first domesticated and for what purposes? • Discuss the significance of the horse drawn chariot in Egyptian history? • Describe the difference between the victory of the Hyksos over Egypt versus the Egyptian victory over the Hittites.
