Prevalence of Butchered Horse Bones Dispels Myths About Christian Dietary Habits

Archaeological analysis of horse remains from medieval Hungary indicates people continued to eat horses long after the country's conversion to Christianity, suggesting the decline in horsemeat consumption (hippophagy) in the region was not for religious reasons, questioning the prevailing historical narrative.

Horsemeat consumption, once common in pre-Christian Europe, declined over the course of the Middle Ages. Written sources indicate that this was tied to the adoption of Christianity.

While the consumption of horsemeat was never officially forbidden by the Church, many medieval Christian sources described it as impure and linked it to the "barbaric" practices of non-Christian peoples.