Paper short abstract:

Mitochondrial DNA and stable isotope analyses of archaeological horses from Finland, Lithuania and Russia reveal multiple maternal genetic lineages and differences in feeding practices or vegetation in time and space.

Paper long abstract:

We studied mitochondrial DNA and/or stable isotopes of archaeologic horse bones and teeth from three countries, Finland (N = 14), Lithuania (N = 16) and Russia (N = 14). The ages of the bones from Finland were from 1008 - 246 cal BP, from Lithuania from 5080 - 259 cal BP and from Russia (Tatarstan) 3120 – 1620 cal BP. Of the 18 haplogroups found from modern horse, we have thus far detected four (haplogroups B, G, J and N), comprising of ten different haplotypes. Stable isotope values for delta13CIRMS(‰) varied between -23.4 - -22.1 in Finland and between -24.1 - -21.8 Lithuania, whereas delta15NIRMS(‰) varied between 4.4-6.2 in Finland and between 3.2 -5.5 in Lithuania. A principal component analysis of the stable isotope values together with the age of the samples suggested some grouping of these values according to the geographic location of the samples, when compared with available data of archaeological horse stable isotopes from Northern European countries in DIANA database. Both, the delta13C and delta15N values from Finland were in general somewhat lower than in other countries around the Baltic area and the delta15N values from Lithuania were found to present low values as well. These might indicate differences in the feeding practises or in the vegetation between the sites and times.