May
27
/ 2023
Archaeologists in China have discovered a 2,700-year-old leather horse saddle. Not only is this maybe the oldest saddle ever discovered, but having been found in a woman’s tomb it contradicts historical narratives associating horse riding with male elites. The leather horse saddle was recovered from a Bronze Age woman’s tomb at a cemetery in Yanghai, in the Tarim Basin of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in northwest China. Discovered in 2003, this site contained well-preserved mummies, artifacts, and textiles which offer valuable insights into the lifestyles of the people who lived in the region over 3,000 years ago. The leather saddle comprises two cowhide cushions which are filled with a blend of straw mixed with deer and camel hair. A
