Evidence of the Scythians

A detailed Summary of Evidence of the Scythians

In archaeology the term Scythians refers to the tribes which inhabited the steppers adjoining to the northern shores of the Black Sea. There is also a broader notion of 'the Scythian world' considered as a group of different tribes sharing a common economic and cultural life and occupying a large region. The study and excavation of Scythian burial sites in the territory to the north of the Black Sea coast began over two hundred years ago. The systematic study of Scythian antiquities started with the excavation of Kul Oba barrow near Kerch in 1830. Scythian finds reveal the highest level of workmanship as well as their close ties with many peoples and tribes in the territories between Far East and Western Europe.

The distinctive feature of the art and culture of the Scythians were determined by their nomadic lifestyle. Born warriors, horsemen and herdsmen they roamed the steppers near the Black Sea coast with their many herds of cattle and horsemen and herdsmen all year round. Since their dwellings were covered wagons, they had no interest in constructing public buildings or temples and did not erect images of their Gods. The output of the decorative arts was connected with the class differentiat

Scythian art, like the whole of its culture, may be divided into three periods: early Scythian or archaic (seventh and sixth centuries B.C), middle Scythian (fifth and fourth centuries B.C) and late Scythian (late fourth and early third centuries B.C). Each period has its own particular features in style and subject matter.

In the archaic period the animal style seemed to be a natural combination of the unique Scythian artistic tradition and certain borrowed forms, mostly of ancient Oriental origin. The range of imagery was based on the notions of the animal world and included both real animals and fantastic beasts, the fantastic beasts often had unlike parts taken from different creatures. Thus, figurers of members of the cat family, images of stags, ibexes and birds of prey were introduced.

A bronze openwork plaque in the shape of a wolf can demonstrate all these specific features. It was found in 1895 in the Kulkovsky barrow in Crimea by y. Kulakovsky. The image of this beast was brought to Scythian art from the Sauromatian world. The main features were modified to fit Scythian standards. This was done by the use of the most logical arrangement for the decoration of a round shaped object of a beast of prey coiled up in a circle. In harmony with the artistic principals of the time, the animal's proportions are distorted. The neck is made longer and the eye as well as the ear is enlarged. The figure is covered with a large number of additional zoomorphic elements such as a goat with its head turned backwards on the wolf's shoulder. Although this image is not as appealing as the stag from Kostromskaya barrow, it nevertheless demonstrates the blend of realistic features and ornamental designs characteristic of the Scythian animal style of that period.

One of the most exquisite works of the animal style, truly its classical standard, is the golden plaque found in the Kostromokaya barrow, it was excavated by N. Veselovsky in 1897. A Scythian chieftai

Some common words found in the essay are:
Black Sea, Century BC, West Asian, Crimea Kulakovsky, Scythians Crimean, Centuries BC, Western Europe, Ancient Greece, Kul Oba, Evidence Scythians, animal style, scythian art, centuries bc, century bc, black sea, black sea coast, horsemen herdsmen, scythian society, upper class, scythian antiquities, art culture, centuries bc middle, scythian animal style, bc middle scythian,

Approximate Word count = 1325
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History