Ancient Nomads of the Eurasian and North American Grasslands

Download or read book Ancient Nomads of the Eurasian and North American Grasslands written by Elena Ponomarenko and published by Canadian Museum of History. This book was released on 2007 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nomadic lifestyles dependent on herd animals developed independently on the grasslands of Eurasia and North America about 5,000 years ago. The landscapes that these peoples occupied were generally similar, but the basis of their nomadism was quite different. Eurasian steppe nomads relied on domestic sheep, goats, cattle and horses for their subsistence and on horses, cattle and, to a limited extent, camels for their travel; North American prairie nomads relied on wild bison for subsistence and on themselves and dogs for travel. In comparing the two lifestyles, this study shows that certain features, such as the use of circular portable dwellings, seasonal rhythms of movement, and minimalist material cultures, were quite similar; but other features, such as the use of metals, access to urban civilizations, the nature and scale of warfare, and overall population sizes, were very different. Yet, both kinds of nomadism dominated their respective landscapes until being supplanted by European or EuroAmerican expansionism between about 300 to 150 years ago.