How Asian nomadic herders built new Bronze Age cultures

In wagons and on horses, Yamnaya pastoralists left their genetic mark from Ireland to China

map of Yamnaya migrations

BIG MOVES  Ancient DNA indicates horse-riding pastoralists called the Yamnaya made two long-distance migrations around 5,000 years ago. One trip may have shaped Europe’s ancient Corded Ware culture, while the other launched central Asia’s Afanasievo culture.

Mesa Schumacher

Nomadic herders living on western Asia’s hilly grasslands made a couple of big moves east and west around 5,000 years ago.