Yaks graze in modern day Mongolia.Image credit: Alicia Ventresca-Miller
Posted on 04/13/2023 8:34:42 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
By analyzing proteins found within ancient dental calculus, an international team of researchers provides direct evidence for consumption of milk from multiple ruminants, including yak. In addition, they discovered milk and blood proteins associated with both horses and ruminants...
The study presents novel protein findings from an elite Mongol Era cemetery with exceptional preservation in the permafrost. This is the first example of yak milk recovered from an archaeological context.
Previous research indicates that milk has been a critical resource in Mongolia for more than 5,000 years. While the consumption of cattle, sheep, goat and even horse milk have securely been dated, until now, when people began drinking milk from yaks has been difficult to determine. Understanding when and where humans domesticated this iconic species has been limited to rarely recovered yak remains and artistic depictions of yaks. However, whether these are wild or domestic is unclear.
The discovery of an elite Mongol era cemetery in northern Mongolia was surprising to the researchers...
Located along a high-elevation ridgeline covered in mist, the location bears the name 'Khorig,' meaning taboo. It may be that this cemetery was considered elite, as the researchers recovered evidence of connections to the ruling elite, including a five-clawed dragon depicted on a Cizhou vessel and traditional robe, or deel...
Archaeologists have spent years collecting and conserving pieces of silk and leather strewn across the surface near the burials. Unfortunately, over the past few decades the permafrost has begun to melt and the sites have been heavily looted...
An international team of researchers used proteomic analysis of dental calculus to identify the diets of Mongol era elites. They found proteins associated with milk, blood and other tissues that had been consumed by different individuals.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.umich.edu ...
[singing] Don't talk back.
Yak is a cousin of a domestic cow. Probably not a lot difference in flavor
Yak milk is good and nutritious. Only today’s academics and elites would think it amazing people back in the day would drink animal milk, I mean what did they think they ate and drank back in the day and I’m sure it wasn’t just ancient elites
Those Mongols. Yak yak yak!
https://www.quora.com/What-do-yaks-and-water-buffaloes-have-in-common
[snip] Anthony Davies
What are alikes between a yak and a water buffalo?
They are both bovids, members of the bovini or cattle family , they are both used as meat animals and as beasts of burden, and for milk , butter and cheese production, but they are very different. Yaks are closer to taurine cattle and bison , American bison specifically, and can interbreed with either producing fertile female progeny. Domestic yaks at least are a relatively small member of the bovini tribe, cold and high altitude adapted with a thick double coat of long hair. They have typical cattle horns with a circular cross section tapering to a sharp point. Water buffalo are one of the largest of the bovini, evolved to suit a tropical, semi aquatic environment. They are almost hairless as adults, Asian swamp buffalo have massive horns that are flattened in cross section. The long domesticated riverine buffalo have smaller curved horns more like those of domestic cattle. [/snip]
Mmmmmm......
Disappointing.
I read the headline as “Yak milk consumption up among Mongol Empire elites” and wanted to know more about this new Mongol Empire and the global yak milk market.
To each his own.
The prehistoric Mongol empire consisted of thousands of Whole Yak Warehouse locations throughout Central Asia.
If it was real Mongols it was FERMENTED yak milk.
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