Scythians

de St. John Simpson, Svetlana Pankova

This book is a catalogue of an exhibition about the Scythians, who were an ancient nomadic people, who lived in the Russian steppe from 900 to 400 BC. They established a rich, nomadic civilization stretching from their homeland in Siberia as far as the Black Sea and the edge of China. Mobility and mastery of local resources were central to their culture and their achievements. Forerunners of the Sarmatians, the Huns, the Turks and the Mongols, the Scythians were feared adversaries and respected neighbours of the Assyrians, the Persians and the Ancient Greeks. Much of what we know about them comes from the Ancient Greek historian Herodotus, as they left no written records of their own. Many of the objects found are exceptionally well preserved because of the permanent frost in the high Altai mountains, and they offer unique insights in to the life and funerary customs of the Scythians. Drawing on the latest research this book will appeal to anyone interested in the ancient world and Russian culture.