Kumiss (Fermented Mare's Milk) Culture

500 BCE · Orta Asya Bozkırı · culture

Although Herodotus records that the Massagetae drank fermented mare's milk, and the remains at Botai (3500 BCE) show that mares were milked, the earliest source presenting kumiss as a documented beverage dates to about 500-400 BCE.

It was at once a source of protein, a social ritual, a diplomatic gift and a shamanic practice. It is an element of Turkic nomadic culture without which that culture cannot be conceived.

Frequently asked questions

What was Kumiss (Fermented Mare's Milk) Culture?
Although Herodotus records that the Massagetae drank fermented mare's milk, and the remains at Botai (3500 BCE) show that mares were milked, the earliest source presenting kumiss as a documented beverage dates to about 500-400 BCE.
When did Kumiss (Fermented Mare's Milk) Culture happen?
500 BCE
Where did Kumiss (Fermented Mare's Milk) Culture take place?
Orta Asya Bozkırı