Although depicted as a huge animal or described as a mythical creature, medieval warriors survived, according to a new English study, the animals that could decide the outcome of a battle could reach a height of 145 to 147 centimeters.
How big were the animals that brave knights were fighting on their backs? This question was answered by archaeologists and historians who examined the remains of nearly two thousand horses who died between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries. Bones examined during medieval castles and horse tombs and other archaeological excavations have been found across England, and researchers have compared their dimensions with historical records and fictional descriptions of the era, he writes. guardian. However, scientists warn that very few horse carcasses were found on the former battlefield, so it cannot be one hundred percent certain that the studied remains are from animals used in non-agricultural work. I would like to know this in subsequent DNA tests.
Professor Alan Outram from the Department of Archeology at the University of Exeter told the newspaper that the data collected during the research conflict with the way medieval horses are depicted or portrayed. According to Outram, the descriptions and illustrations are a Shire type They are similar to medieval huts, but the finds prove that in fact large-bodied animals were rarely used, since the height of horses is about 140 cm. The largest find found was 152 inches, which is the size of a modern pony.
But why could smaller horses be more popular? According to the professor, with these animals it was easier and faster to carry out an operation such as pressing a retreating enemy, conducting long-range raids or transporting equipment. Tasks where speed of movement and reaction may be more important than raw strength.
In the next stages of the research, in addition to the DNA analysis, an analysis of the Westminster site and a detailed analysis of the horse armor will be carried out to obtain a more comprehensive picture and a more reliable answer.
(Cover Image: Pony Horses. Photo: Tim Graham/Getty Images)
