Scythian

Scythian refers to a group of ancient Iranian-speaking nomadic peoples who inhabited the Eurasian steppe north of the Black Sea from roughly the 7th century BCE to the 1st–2nd century CE. The name is a historical label used by Greek and later scholars to describe a broad cultural and ethnic complex rather than a single polity. The core homeland lay in the Pontic steppe—roughly present-day southern Russia and Ukraine—with extensive connections to the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the northern Black Sea littoral.

Scythian society was organized around mobile pastoralism and horse-based warfare. They are best known for skilled horse archery, as well as a distinctive art style—often called the Scythian or animal style—decorating weapons, jewelry, and ceremonial objects. Rich burial sites called kurgans, many with lavish grave goods, have yielded a wealth of information about their craftsmanship and social hierarchy. Notable discoveries include goldwork from the Pontic steppe and the Pazyryk burials in the Altai Mountains.

Linguistically, Scythians spoke Eastern Iranian languages; the term encompasses several related groups within the broader Iranian family, with Saka as a later branch. Ethnically, the label reflects a network of peoples rather than a centralized state. Throughout their history, Scythians interacted with neighboring powers—the Achaemenid Empire to the south, Greek city-states along the Black Sea, and later Sarmatian and other steppe groups. By the 1st–2nd centuries CE, many Scythian communities had been assimilated into successor cultures across the Eurasian steppe.