Scythians carried arrows in bags made of human skin – study
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Scientists have established that Scythian warriors carried their arrows in quivers made from the skin of defeated enemies.
This is reported by Arkeonews with reference to a study published in the scientific journal PLOS One.
The Scythians are an Eastern Iranian nomadic people who lived in the territory of modern Ukraine in the VI-III centuries BC. Researchers call them skillful warriors.
The ancient Greek historian Herodotus wrote that the Scythians turned the skulls of their victims into drinking cups. Also, they allegedly drank the blood of their enemies, and instead of hand towels, they used their scalps – the skin and hair removed from the head. However, so far there has been no scientific confirmation of this.
| Part of the analyzed skin fragments. Photo: PLOS One |
A group of archaeologists from Ukraine, Denmark, Great Britain and Italy examined 45 skin samples collected in 14 different Scythian sites in southern Ukraine.
Using protein analysis, scientists determined the origin of almost all but two specimens, which were likely made from horse, cattle, goat or sheep skin.
Another two of the analyzed samples belonged to humans. However, the Scythians used them only in the upper parts of quivers.
This find may contain valuable information about the cultural practices of this tribe. According to one theory, the use of human skin could be related to religious beliefs or rituals, in particular, honoring the memory of the dead.
Scientists also suggest that the creation of products from the skin of the defeated could be a way for the Scythians to demonstrate their power and intimidate opponents, because they often clashed with neighboring tribes.
It will be recalled that archaeologists found probably the oldest ship burial of the Viking era in Norway.
Read also: “The most shocking example of slavery”: archaeologists found a bakery-prison in Pompeii
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