I have been reading about the pastoralists from modern ukraine that moved across europe during a 1000 year period from 3000 bc to 2000 bc. It took them that long rather than a generation or two like the mongols—because these pastoralists did something different.
One generation after another they pushed west into europe by taking over the local villages, killing all the men and taking their women for wives. Today all men of european ancestry from scandenavia to southern europe to spain and ireland carry only these genes on their fathers side.
The boys in among these people would be raised by their mothers until about age 7. then they would go off with their fathers and hunt with them and learn all their skills. then at age 16 or so there would be a big midwinter ceremony in which the boys were taken to the woods and left there. they could not return to their home village until at least the summer. sometimes it would be much longer. sometimes they would not return at all. they were bound in a dog or wolf ceremony to the leader of their young male group.
Archeaologists find the remains of those mostly dog bones heaps from time to time. Its thought the dogs were usually the boys companions through out their youth. During the ceremony they were called on to kill their dog.
Then go hunt with the other young men who were called to do the same in that ceremony.
“...there would be a big midwinter ceremony in which the boys were taken to the woods and left there. they could not return to their home village until at least the summer. sometimes it would be much longer. sometimes they would not return at all. they were bound in a dog or wolf ceremony to the leader of their young male group.”
Yeah, I had an ordeal induction back in my Boy Scout days, sounds similar to this.