10-17-2015, 12:57 AM
Probably nobody cares, but the continuing ever-present references to the Altai (Pazyryk and Tuva) Cultures as "Scythians" is wearing incredibly thin. Maybe I'm an old fart, maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think so. Is this important? Yes it is, because the Altai people of the 6th to 3rd centuries BC were directly related to the formation of the Sarmatians, Alans, and Wusun... who then invaded Roman space.
Beautiful artifacts made by the Altai cultures are consistently shown in museums around the world. At the Hermitage or National Museum in Washington, or in the Ashmolian, these examples are always labeled as something like, "Scythian, 400 to 300 BC, Pazyryk."
Scythian? Excuse me, but did the Scythians move 4,000 kilometers northeast from their well-recorded geographical location? If we casually read Herodotus, Strabo, or Pliny, or look at Ptolomy's map, we know the Scythians lived in the western steppe above the Black Sea, NOT in the far eastern Altaic region.
Who were these tribes whom our present archaeological community continuously-- and erroneously-- refers to as "Scythians"? Can we find a better name for them, perhaps something correct? Certainly, and all we have to do is look at a map according to Herodotus or Ptolomy. Check these out:
[attachment=12909]BC_450ca_HerodotusWorldMapLinguistic2.jpg[/attachment]
According to Herodotus' map, these people were the Issedones.
[attachment=12910]Herodotus_world_map.jpg[/attachment]
Here is a closer look of the map, the tribes still being the Issedones.
[attachment=12911]herodotus_map_by_Jona_Lendering2.jpg[/attachment]
Let's ask RAT's own Jona Lendering. Hmm... he shows the Issedones.
[attachment=12912]PtolomysMap.jpg[/attachment]
How about a 4th opinion? Let's ask Ptolomy. Oops! He claims they were the Issedones.
So what's the problem? Why do archaeologists and modern historians insist that the Altai peoples were "Scythians." They're driving me crazy! :dizzy: Just about any old ancient historian and geographer knew exactly who lived in the Altai. They were the Issedones.
Thank you for putting up with my raving, but another museum identification tag about "Scythians" is going to make me scream! :woot: :woot:
Beautiful artifacts made by the Altai cultures are consistently shown in museums around the world. At the Hermitage or National Museum in Washington, or in the Ashmolian, these examples are always labeled as something like, "Scythian, 400 to 300 BC, Pazyryk."
Scythian? Excuse me, but did the Scythians move 4,000 kilometers northeast from their well-recorded geographical location? If we casually read Herodotus, Strabo, or Pliny, or look at Ptolomy's map, we know the Scythians lived in the western steppe above the Black Sea, NOT in the far eastern Altaic region.
Who were these tribes whom our present archaeological community continuously-- and erroneously-- refers to as "Scythians"? Can we find a better name for them, perhaps something correct? Certainly, and all we have to do is look at a map according to Herodotus or Ptolomy. Check these out:
[attachment=12909]BC_450ca_HerodotusWorldMapLinguistic2.jpg[/attachment]
According to Herodotus' map, these people were the Issedones.
[attachment=12910]Herodotus_world_map.jpg[/attachment]
Here is a closer look of the map, the tribes still being the Issedones.
[attachment=12911]herodotus_map_by_Jona_Lendering2.jpg[/attachment]
Let's ask RAT's own Jona Lendering. Hmm... he shows the Issedones.
[attachment=12912]PtolomysMap.jpg[/attachment]
How about a 4th opinion? Let's ask Ptolomy. Oops! He claims they were the Issedones.
So what's the problem? Why do archaeologists and modern historians insist that the Altai peoples were "Scythians." They're driving me crazy! :dizzy: Just about any old ancient historian and geographer knew exactly who lived in the Altai. They were the Issedones.
Thank you for putting up with my raving, but another museum identification tag about "Scythians" is going to make me scream! :woot: :woot: