This is particularly true of the horse pastoralism that emerged in the Inner Eurasian steppes, for this was the most mobile of all major forms of pastoralism.

Perhaps even earlier, there had emerged on the steppes of Inner Eurasia the distinctive types of pastoralism that were to dominate the region's history for several millennia.

Barley was an unexpected find: the crop was domesticated in Western Eurasia and didn't become a staple food in central China until about 2,000 years ago, according to the researchers.