Swords and Daggers of the Scythian Forest-Steppe

Description

Oleksandr Shelekhan comprehensively examines Scythian bladed weapons belonging to farmer tribes who lived in the East European Forest-Steppe from the 7th century to between the 4th and early 3rd centuries BC. The analysis demonstrates a detailed typological and chronological distribution, showing distinctive tendencies of adoption and dissemination of the different weapon types across the period and the region. The author uses this evidence to produce a social and historical reconstruction of Scythian culture. Swords and daggers found in burials are connected with certain sex and age groups. The correlation of swords and daggers with other prestigious artefacts and ritual features indicate the high social status of a majority of swordsmen. The Scythians were high ranking amongst the social structure of farmer tribes, and the Forest-Steppe region was included in the military-political structure of Great Scythia during the Early Iron Age. Swords and Daggers of the Scythian Forest-Steppe Contents List of figures List of tables Abstract Introduction 1. Historiography and source base 1.1 Source base 1.1.1 Written sources 1.1.2 Antique art traditions 1.1.3 Scythian anthropomorphic sculpture 1.1.4 Anthropological sources 1.1.5 Archaeological sources 1.2 Historiography of research into the Scythian bladed weapon 1.2.1 Initial period 1.2.2 Advanced period 1.2.2.1 The origin of the Scythian bladed weapon 1.2.2.2 Examining the production of swords and daggers 1.2.2.3 Outlining of the functional groups 1.2.2.4 Experience in the systematisation 1.2.2.5 Studying the dissemination of bladed weapons 1.2.2.6 Examining the decoration of the swords and daggers 1.2.2.7 The bladed weapon in ethnic and social research 1.2.2.8 Recent comprehensive works 2. Systematisation of the Scythian bladed weapons from the Forest-Steppe 2.1 General considerations 2.1.1 Terminological questions 2.1.2 Functional groups 2.2 Typology 2.2.1 Common grounds for typological research 2.2.2 Typology of single-bladed swords and daggers 2.2.3 Typology of double-edged swords and daggers 2.2.4 Equipment and accessories 3 Chronology of the Scythian bladed weapon 3.1. Common grounds for chronological research 3.2. The chronology of the Early-period bladed weapon 3.3. The Chronology of the Middle-period bladed weapon 3.4. Chronology of the Late-period bladed weapon 3.5 General development of the Scythian bladed weapon in the Forest-Steppe 4. Spatial analysis 4.1 Common grounds for the spatial analysis 4.2 Mapping of the burial finds 4.3 Mapping of those finds without archaeological context 4.4 Mapping of the settlement finds 4.5 General patterns of the spreading of Scythian bladed weapon in the Forest-Steppe. 5. Warrior burials with swords and daggers 5.1 Common grounds for social stratification 5.2 First social group (common warriors) 5.3 Second social group (professional warriors) 5.4 Third social group (elite warriors) 5.5 Fourth social group (war aristocracy) 5.6 Main features of the social and cultural patterns 5.6.1 Age and sex characteristics 5.6.2 The bladed weapon as a source in Scythian history Conclusions Bibliography List of abbreviations Appendix 1. Catalogue of Scythian-time bladed weapons from the East-European Forest-Steppe. Appendix 2. Measurements of examined blade weaponry Appendix 3. Short description of examined graves with blade weapons