Sarmatian origins of the spatha?

[Alanus]

I have been a member here for a little while but have only posted once or twice?
I find this discussion very interesting. However there are a few things that I think that are worth mentioning in no particular order of importance.
One of the things that I think that is important is to not underestimate the influence of steppe cultures on the whole Eurasian continent. It all depends on how far back you are willing to go. I mean really far back. I mean 1400BC in not that far back and 600BC is almost yesterday.
With that being said, I think that some of this, our current discussion about the origin of the spatha and who started what, might all be forever tentative because of the inevitability of new discoveries and the demon of sample size.

Hailog, Quisslan
and welcome to RAT,

Yes, the demon of so few examples will forever plague us.
The above posts are wonderful, showing the array of early swords that could have indirectly or directly influenced the "longsword" and then the spatha.

Everyone must forgive me for being the almost lone champion of steppe inventiveness. Here, on the steppes, we find the earliest horsemen, the earliest chariot, and the multitude of progressive weapons that would accompmany a mobile force. I brought up the subject of the Filippovka sword design because it was a good one, although phased out for the simplicity of rapid production. The raised central ridge of the Filippovka example actually dates back to the Yamnaya kurgans, tanged daggers in bronze, and the untanged (rivited) Usatovo style-- both types going back to 3,300 to 2,800 BC. This is prior to bronze work by the Chinese; and it would appear that the central-ridged double-fullered oriental style might be traced back to these early steppe cultures.

As you say, we should not underestimate the importance of the early steppe cultures, who, in a sense, transmitted many things Indo-European in the pre-Celtic-Dacian-Roman period. The steppe was the Great Super-Highway of prehistory, made possible by the horse.

In any discussion, whether it be spathas-swords or scale-lamellar armor (see the Lorica Squamata thread), I will push for possible steppe origins. I'm not always right. But someone has to champion the inventiveness of steppe barbarians. As more kurgans are opened, we seem to be discovering more and sometimes shocking information. I suppose, due to my age, this is "Alan's Last Crusade." But I enjoy it. :grin: