Direct Evidence of the Geographic Origins of Horse in the Yaoheyuan Site From Ningxia, China

In this study, It is explores the geographic origin of horses by analyzing the strontium isotope ratio of horses from the Yaoheyuan site, an important site in the northwest region of China during the Western Zhou Dynasty. The results show that most of the horses at the Yaoheyuan site were domesticated locally, while a small number came from other regions. The geographic origin of horses varies in different sacrificial sites. Our research provides the direct evidence of the geographic origins of horses in sacrificial ceremonies and important social networks during the Western Zhou Dynasty.