01-12-2016, 03:53 PM
Sean,
I gather you're in favor of the homogeneous term "Scythian" as a fine all-encompassing way of defining all the cultures across the Asian continent. In the same fashion, perhaps we should also lump the Goths into this broad category, since they were also called Scythians (at least by Roman authors such as Themistius). My point is narrowing down generalities. That way, when a student attempts to gather information on specifics within the eastern tribes (let's say Pazyryk or Ukok arrowheads) he/she wouldn't have to scan every paper of PDF on the internet labeled as "Scythian Arrowheads." I really don't give a damn what the Greeks or Persians called these people. We have the ability to redefine generalities to a narrower search; in this case by using "Saka" as it could be used by today's archaeologists. Actually I believe the worst and most ambiguous usage comes from museum (assistant) curators who label eastern artifacts as Scythian... when the artistic style of the artifact absolutely screams "I'm not Scythian."
It's all about style. Here are two examples of "Scythian" hats, one Western and the other Eastern.
The Western (Scythian) hats are consistent in shape, whether worn by a man or woman. They are not particularly tall and even have similarities to Thracian ones. Perhaps the genders were equal, or maybe the (real) Scythians were patriarchal.
Saka hats are taller and "pointy-er." These are examples worn by the men.
Saka women's are REALLY tall, so tall the women actually had to shave their heads bald to accommodate them without slippage.
Your hat defined who you were.
All I'm saying is this-- The Scythians and the Saka were not the Same people... and they should not be lumped together by using an outdated term.
I gather you're in favor of the homogeneous term "Scythian" as a fine all-encompassing way of defining all the cultures across the Asian continent. In the same fashion, perhaps we should also lump the Goths into this broad category, since they were also called Scythians (at least by Roman authors such as Themistius). My point is narrowing down generalities. That way, when a student attempts to gather information on specifics within the eastern tribes (let's say Pazyryk or Ukok arrowheads) he/she wouldn't have to scan every paper of PDF on the internet labeled as "Scythian Arrowheads." I really don't give a damn what the Greeks or Persians called these people. We have the ability to redefine generalities to a narrower search; in this case by using "Saka" as it could be used by today's archaeologists. Actually I believe the worst and most ambiguous usage comes from museum (assistant) curators who label eastern artifacts as Scythian... when the artistic style of the artifact absolutely screams "I'm not Scythian."
It's all about style. Here are two examples of "Scythian" hats, one Western and the other Eastern.
The Western (Scythian) hats are consistent in shape, whether worn by a man or woman. They are not particularly tall and even have similarities to Thracian ones. Perhaps the genders were equal, or maybe the (real) Scythians were patriarchal.
Saka hats are taller and "pointy-er." These are examples worn by the men.
Saka women's are REALLY tall, so tall the women actually had to shave their heads bald to accommodate them without slippage.
Your hat defined who you were.
All I'm saying is this-- The Scythians and the Saka were not the Same people... and they should not be lumped together by using an outdated term.
Alan J. Campbell
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
