The Scythians were nomadic warrior cultures that dominated the Eurasian степpe from around the 9th to 3rd centuries BCE. Much of what we know about them comes from their kurgans, or burial mounds, scattered across modern-day Russia, Ukraine, and Central Asia. These burial sites reveal extraordinary insights into Scythian social structure, beliefs, and artistry.
Scythian burials were elaborate and often included weapons, horses, clothing, jewelry, and household items. Elite individuals were buried with sacrificed servants and horses, reflecting beliefs in an afterlife where status continued. Frozen kurgans in Siberia preserved organic materials, allowing archaeologists to study textiles, tattoos, and wooden objects.
The artistic style found in Scythian graves is known as the animal style, featuring dynamic depictions of animals in combat or motion. These images likely held symbolic meanings connected to power, protection, and spiritual transformation. The kurgans demonstrate that despite their nomadic lifestyle, the Scythians possessed sophisticated craftsmanship and complex religious beliefs centered on death and the afterlife.
