Scythian people stayed local

Republication from the University of Michigan

Extent of mobility of population from Scythian era and earlier sites. Image credit: James Johnson and John Klausmeyer

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As far back as the Greek historian Herodotus, a group of people called the Scythians were considered highly mobile warrior nomads.

Scythian-era people lived across Eurasia from about 700 BCE to 200 BCE, and have long been considered highly mobile warriors who ranged widely across the steppe grasslands. Herodotus describes Scythian populations as living in wagons and engaging in raiding and warfare, and this view has persisted throughout history—supported by archeologists’ observations of similar styles of horse harnesses, weapons, burial mounds and animal style motifs throughout what is now Ukraine.

Gilded Scythian akinakes sword found

Republicstion from euromaidanpress.com

[A little belated news but this sword is a unique find for ancient weapon researchers.]

Gold-plated akinakes (Scythian dagger/short sword) with a leaf-ribbed grip, a cross-guard and a scabbard for the blade tip 

An intact grave of a Scythian warrior was the main find of the 2019 season at the excavation site at Mount Mamai burial grounds in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Burial of Scythian Amazon with a golden headdress confuses experts

Republication from  www.ibtimes.sg

 

By Nirmal Narayanan

A team of researchers led by Valerii Guliaev, the head of the Don expedition has discovered a burial mound containing remnants of four Scythian women. Interestingly, the burial mound had several impressive grave goods, and it included one of the most complete golden headdresses ever unearthed in the Don excavation site, Russia.

Evidence of the Babylonian capture of Jerusalem found in Mount Zion excavation

Republication from phys.org

 

One of the Scythian type arrowheads found in the destruction layer from 587/586 BCE. Credit: Mt Zion Archaeological Expedition/Virginia Withers

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Researchers digging at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s ongoing archaeological excavation on Mount Zion in Jerusalem have announced a second significant discovery from the 2019 season—clear evidence of the Babylonian conquest of the city from 587/586 BCE.

The discovery is of a deposit including layers of ash, arrowheads dating from the period, as well as Iron Age potsherds, lamps and a significant piece of period jewelry—a gold and silver tassel or earring. There are also signs of a significant Iron Age structure in the associated area, but the building, beneath layers from later periods, has yet to be excavated.

Cataphractarii! (3) – The cataphract cavalry in a period of 2,500 years

Continued from Part 2

Mongol cataphract, 13^th century.

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By Periklis  Deligiannis