From kaikan to konik. Facts and perceptions surrounding the European wild horse and the Polish konik

1. Introduction

1.1. Subject of the research
1.2. Background to the research
1.2.1. Germany and the Polish‐Lithuanian Union
1.2.2. The Netherlands
1.3. Perceptions of the horse
1.4. Reason for the research
1.5. Research objective
1.6. Research questions
1.7. Research method and sources
1.8. The structure of this book

2. The history of the European wild horse, from the last Ice Age onwards

2.1. Introduction
2.2. The transition from the last Ice Age to the Holocene
2.3. The wild horse in Europe, during the period 8000‐3000 BCE
2.4. The domestication of the wild horse and the spread of the domestic horse
2.5. Horses living in the wild in Europe, during the period 500 BCE‐18th century
2.5.1. Europe, outside East Prussia and the adjacent areas
• Classical antiquity
• The Middle Ages (for the non‐German territories)
• The German territories
2.5.2. East Prussia and the adjacent areas
• EastPrussia
• Lithuania
• Poland, up to the 16th century inclusive
• Poland, during the 17th and the 18th centuries
2.5.3. The origin of the Great Wilderness: political context
2.5.4. The nature of the Great Wilderness
2.5.5. Wild and feral horses: the most important distinguishing features
• Coat Colour
• Mane
• Size
• Ability to be tamed
2.5.6. The assessment of the records of horses living in the wild in Europe
2.5.7. The arguments in favour of the existence of the wild horse in East Prussia and the adjacent areas
• Physical appearance
• Ability to be tamed
• Protective measures
• Collector’sitem
• Abruptend
• An original name: kaikan
• Eating horse meat
2.5.8. Reasons why the wild horse was able to survive in East Prussia and the adjacent areas
2.6. The Eurasian steppes, from the 17th to the 19th century
2.6.1. Records of horses living in the wild on the Eurasian steppes
2.6.2. The assessment of the records of horses living in the wild on the Eurasian steppes
2.7. Jan Zamoyski and the European wild horse
2.7.1. The political situation in the Polish‐Lithuanian Union during the 16th century
2.7.2. The origin and nature of Jan Zamoyski’s zoo
2.7.3. The origin of the wild horses at Jan Zamoyski’s zoo
2.8. Perceptions
2.8.1. From wild to tame
2.8.2. Wildernesses and wild horses
2.8.3. Eating horse meat
2.8.4. The horse in art
2.8.5. The horse as a status symbol
Conclusions

3. The emergence of a myth

3.1. Introduction
3.2. The political developments in the Polish‐Lithuanian Union as a background to Brincken’s work
3.3. Brincken’s description of the Forest of Białowieża and the European wild horse
3.4. Criticism of the claims by Brincken
3.4.1. Contemporary criticism of Brincken
• Miscellaneous items
• Wisent counts
• Plants149 • Animals
3.4.2. Brincken’s reply to the contemporary criticism
3.4.3. Recently formulated criticism of Brincken’s mentions of the wild horse
• Political arguments for criticism
• Textual arguments for criticism
• Social and economic arguments for criticism
• Breeding‐related arguments for criticism
3.4.4. Conclusions regarding Brincken’s mentions of the wild horse
3.4.5. On the appearance of the Forest of Białowieża
3.5. Description of the physical appearance and the habitat of the European wild horse
3.5.1. Coat colour
• On the occurrence of a white coat in the wild horse
3.5.2. Other features
• Mane,tail,beard192
• Shoulder height
• Hooves
3.5.3. Comparison of the physical appearances of the European wild horse and the Polish konik
3.5.4. Habitat
3.6. Perceptions
Conclusions

4. The breeding‐back experiments and the origin of the Polish konik

4.1. Introduction
4.2. The political context of the breeding‐back experiments by Vetulani and the Heck brothers
4.3. The scientific context of the breeding‐back experiments by Vetulani and the Heck brothers
4.4. The breeding‐back experiment by the Heck brothers
4.5. The breeding‐back experiment by Vetulani, up to 1952 inclusive
4.5.1. Introduction
4.5.2. The execution of the breeding‐back experiment
• The period from 1923 to 1927 inclusive
• The period from 1928 to September 1939
• The period from September 1939 to July 1944
• The period from July 1944 to 1952 inclusive
4.5.3. Criticism of Vetulani’s theory and experiments
• Criticism of the theory
• Criticism of the skull measurements
4.6. The konik breeding‐back experiment, after 1952
4.6.1. The transitional period 1952‐1955 268
4.6.2. Konik breeding at Popielno
4.7. DNA research and the placing of the konik
4.8. Perceptions
Conclusions

5. The Polish konik and nature management

5.1. Introduction
5.2. Developments in Dutch nature management, far into the 1970s
5.3. The introduction of the konik into Dutch nature management
5.3.1. The decision process
5.3.2. Evaluation of the choice for the konik
5.4. Developments in Dutch nature management since the introduction of the konik, and the background to them
5.5. On the appearance of the Holocene natural landscape of Western and Central Europe
5.6. Perceptions
5.6.1. The konik and nature management
5.6.2. Rewilding
5.6.3. Icons and nature management
5.6.4. The horse as an icon
5.6.5. Horses and animal protection
5.6.6. Nature management and animal welfare
Conclusions

6. Recap and perspective

6.1. Recap
6.2. Inferences for the future
6.2.1. The konik in nature management
6.2.2. Other possible substitutes for the European wild horse
6.2.3. Developments in DNA research

Captions for pictures
Appendix
Archives consulted
Interviewees
Overview of manuscripts, printed sources and secondary literature
Words of thanks
Index