Scythia

Scythia was an area in Eurasia inhabited in ancient times by a group of Iranian people speaking Indo-Iranian languages, known as the Scythians. The location and extent of Scythia varied over time, from the Altai region where Mongolia, China, Russia, and Kazakhstan come together to the lower Danube river area and Bulgaria. The Saka were Asian Scythians and were known as Sai (Ch: ?, Old Sinitic *s?k) to the Chinese.

Related Topics:
Eurasia - Iranian people - Indo-Iranian languages - Altai - Mongolia - China - Russia - Kazakhstan - Danube - Bulgaria - Saka - Sai

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The Scythians first appear in Assyrian annals as Ishkuzai, who are reported as pouring in from the north some time around 700 BC, settling in Ascania and modern Azerbaijan as far as to the southeast of Lake Urmia.

Related Topics:
Assyria - 700 BC - Ascania - Azerbaijan - Lake Urmia

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The most significant Scythian tribes mentioned in Greek sources resided in the steppe between the Dnieper and Don rivers. The subject peoples in the periphery steppes were also commonly referred as "Scythians", but didn't speak Iranian languages as did the Scythians proper. Priscus, the Byzantine emissary to Attila, referred to Attila's followers repeatedly as "Scythians," so some of the Huns may have had Scythian ancestry. However, since their language, Scythian, has been shown to have strong similarities to Eastern Iranian, it is most often held that the Scythians were of Iranian origin.

Related Topics:
Dnieper - Don - Steppe - Iranian languages - Priscus - Attila - Huns - Scythian

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Archaeological remains of the Scythians include elaborate tombs containing gold, silk, horses and human sacrifices. Mummification techniques and permafrost have aided in the relative preservation of some remains.

Related Topics:
Gold - Silk - Human sacrifice - Permafrost

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