Steppe: A Civilization-altering Biome Most People Can’t Name
A group of Kazakh eagle hunters rides horses along the Bayan Olgii river in western Mongolia. Edwin Tan / Getty Images
Historically, the steppe housed the nomads of steppe, like the Mongols, which established the Mongolian Empire.
These inhabitants have traveled on horseback, using the steppe as a highway for trade, war and culture. The Silk Road relied on these open land for east-west trips between China, the Middle East and Europe.
The culture of the Steppe people revolved around horse riding, breeding and survival in large spaces. They used the vegetation of the steppe for pasture, moved with the seasons and influenced the empires across Asia.
Languages and technologies quickly spread through this continent thanks to the opening of the steppe.
