The Significance of Sheep and Shepherds to the Yamnaya Culture

The ability to control herds of wild sheep must have been a skill that was highly celebrated by the Yamnaya. Other animal sacrifices include cattle which would not only have been a valuable source of meat and hide, but also with valuable beasts of burden able to pull wheeled vehicles over long distances. The other significant animal sacrifice was that of horses. It could be used as a beast of burden, an efficient long distance vehicle or an effective war vehicle. We should not feel surprised that horses were ceremonially sacrificed in honour of the greatest members of Yamnaya society. Stones, steely are the closest thing to contemporary written records that we are ever likely to find. Images of shepherds cro