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The genomic history of Iberian horses since the last Ice Age

Author

Listed:
  • Jaime Lira Garrido

    (Faculté de Santé)

  • Gaétan Tressières

    (Faculté de Santé)

  • Lorelei Chauvey

    (Faculté de Santé)

  • Stéphanie Schiavinato

    (Faculté de Santé)

  • Laure Calvière-Tonasso

    (Faculté de Santé)

  • Andaine Seguin-Orlando

    (Faculté de Santé)

  • John Southon

    (Irvine)

  • Beth Shapiro

    (University of California Santa Cruz)

  • Clément Bataille

    (room 342
    Purdue University)

  • Julie Birgel

    (Faculté de Santé)

  • Stefanie Wagner

    (Faculté de Santé
    Plant Genomic Resources Center (CNRGV))

  • Naveed Khan

    (Faculté de Santé
    Abdul Wali Khan University)

  • Xuexue Liu

    (Faculté de Santé
    University of Geneva)

  • José María Rodanés

    (Universidad de Zaragoza)

  • Jesús V. Picazo Millán

    (Universidad de Zaragoza)

  • Josep Giralt

    (Museu de Lleida)

  • Natàlia Alonso

    (Universitat de Lleida)

  • Isidro Aguilera

    (Universidad de Zaragoza
    Museo de Zaragoza)

  • Adriano Orsingher

    (s/n)

  • Angela Trentacoste

    (The British School at Rome)

  • Xavier Payà

    (Ajuntament de Lleida)

  • Marta Morán

    (Ajuntament de Lleida)

  • María Pilar Iborra Eres

    (Restauració i Investigació (IVCR+i))

  • Silvia Albizuri

    (Institut de Arqueologia (IAUB))

  • Silvia Valenzuela Lamas

    (Archaeology of Social Dynamics)

  • Imma Mestres Santandreu

    (Ajuntament de Tona)

  • Montserrat Duran Caixal

    (Ajuntament de Tona)

  • Jordi Principal

    (Museu d’Història de Catalunya)

  • Jordi Farré Huguet

    (Vilafranca del Penedès)

  • Xavier Esteve

    (Generalitat de Catalunya)

  • Mireia Pedro Pasqual

    (Museu de Cervera)

  • Nohemi Sala

    (Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana-CENIEH
    Centro Mixto UCM-ISCIII de Investigación sobre Evolución y Comportamiento Humanos)

  • Adrián Pablos

    (Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana-CENIEH
    Universidad Complutense de Madrid
    Universidad de Sevilla)

  • Patricia Martín

    (Zona Educacional 4 Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3))

  • Josep Maria Vergès

    (Zona Educacional 4 Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3)
    Departament d’Història i Història de l’Art)

  • Rodrigo Portero

    (s/n
    Santander))

  • Pablo Arias

    (Santander))

  • Roberto Ontañón Peredo

    (Santander))

  • Cleia Detry

    (Universidade de Lisboa)

  • Cristina Luís

    (Universidade de Lisboa)

  • João Luís Cardoso

    (University of Algarve
    CEACO - Centro de Estudos Arqueológicos do Concelho de Oeiras / Oeiras Municipal Council)

  • Aren M. Maeir

    (Bar-Ilan University)

  • Maria J. Valente

    (Universidade do Algarve)

  • Elena Grau

    (Universitat de València)

  • Vicent Estall i Poles

    (s/n)

  • Joaquín Alfonso Llorens

    (Arqueologia i Patrimoni SLU. C/ Salvador Barri nº9)

  • Ana Miguélez González

    (Independent researcher)

  • Armelle Gardeisen

    (Université Paul Valéry)

  • Michele Cupitò

    (Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali - Università degli Studi di Padova
    Laboratori di Archeologia - Università degli Studi di Padova)

  • Umberto Tecchiati

    (Dipartimento di Beni Culturali e Ambientali)

  • Daniel G. Bradley

    (Trinity College Dublin)

  • Liora Kolska Horwitz

    (The Hebrew University)

  • Esther Rodríguez González

    (Instituto de Arqueología (IAM-CSIC))

  • Ariadna Nieto Espinet

    (Universitat de Lleida)

  • Pere Bover

    (Oficina B
    Universidad de Zaragoza)

  • Rosa Ruiz Entrecanales

    (Ayuntamiento de Ávila. Sección de Arqueología. Palacio de los Verdugo, Calle de López Núñez nº 4)

  • Ignasi Garcés Estallo

    (Institut de Arqueologia (IAUB))

  • Joaquín Jiménez Fragoso

    (Universidad de Extremadura)

  • Sebastián Celestino

    (Instituto de Arqueología (IAM-CSIC))

  • Ludovic Orlando

    (Faculté de Santé)

Abstract

Horses have inhabited Iberia (present-day Spain and Portugal) since the Middle Pleistocene, shaping a complex history in the region. Iberia has been proposed as a potential domestication centre and is renowned for producing world-class bloodlines. Here, we generate genome-wide sequence data from 87 ancient horse specimens (median coverage = 0.97X) from Iberia and the broader Mediterranean to reconstruct their genetic history over the last ~26,000 years. Here, we report that wild horses of the divergent IBE lineage inhabited Iberia from the Late Pleistocene, while domesticated DOM2 horses, native from the Pontic-Caspian steppes, already arrived ~1850 BCE. Admixture dating suggests breeding practices involving continued wild restocking until at least ~350 BCE, with IBE disappearing shortly after. Patterns of genetic affinity highlight the far-reaching influence of Iberian bloodlines across Europe and north Africa during the Iron Age and Antiquity, with continued impact extending thereafter, particularly during the colonization of the Americas.

Suggested Citation

  • Jaime Lira Garrido & Gaétan Tressières & Lorelei Chauvey & Stéphanie Schiavinato & Laure Calvière-Tonasso & Andaine Seguin-Orlando & John Southon & Beth Shapiro & Clément Bataille & Julie Birgel & Ste, 2025. "The genomic history of Iberian horses since the last Ice Age," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-62266-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62266-z
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