Dr. Owen Rees

That's just on that. That's a really key point, which is, You did it. I've done it. Everyone does it when we talk about the Scythians. We go quite vague and start throwing lots of labels around in fear of inaccuracy. It's because Scythian is as much an archaeological culture than it is a real one, for want of a better word.

That's just on that. That's a really key point, which is, You did it. I've done it. Everyone does it when we talk about the Scythians. We go quite vague and start throwing lots of labels around in fear of inaccuracy. It's because Scythian is as much an archaeological culture than it is a real one, for want of a better word.

That's just on that. That's a really key point, which is, You did it. I've done it. Everyone does it when we talk about the Scythians. We go quite vague and start throwing lots of labels around in fear of inaccuracy. It's because Scythian is as much an archaeological culture than it is a real one, for want of a better word.

The reason why we call all these things Scythian is because of certain commonalities So we have no proof that they are actually innately connected by a cultural bond that you and I would associate with a single ethnic group. We don't have enough evidence to really show that.

The reason why we call all these things Scythian is because of certain commonalities So we have no proof that they are actually innately connected by a cultural bond that you and I would associate with a single ethnic group. We don't have enough evidence to really show that.

The reason why we call all these things Scythian is because of certain commonalities So we have no proof that they are actually innately connected by a cultural bond that you and I would associate with a single ethnic group. We don't have enough evidence to really show that.

They talk about the Scythian triad, which are the three items that we're looking for in a burial, in a site, in an archaeological context. That kind of goes, yeah, okay, this might well be Scythian or Scythian-like. And you mentioned a few of them. So it's the distinctive animalistic art style.

They talk about the Scythian triad, which are the three items that we're looking for in a burial, in a site, in an archaeological context. That kind of goes, yeah, okay, this might well be Scythian or Scythian-like. And you mentioned a few of them. So it's the distinctive animalistic art style.

They talk about the Scythian triad, which are the three items that we're looking for in a burial, in a site, in an archaeological context. That kind of goes, yeah, okay, this might well be Scythian or Scythian-like. And you mentioned a few of them. So it's the distinctive animalistic art style.

where it's sort of semi-fantastical with the beautiful swirling geometric shapes built within the design of animals, often like the swirls in the ears and things like that. And it is absolutely beautiful. We have the specific weapons, so the Scythians are always renowned for the bow, a very distinctive type of bow.

where it's sort of semi-fantastical with the beautiful swirling geometric shapes built within the design of animals, often like the swirls in the ears and things like that. And it is absolutely beautiful. We have the specific weapons, so the Scythians are always renowned for the bow, a very distinctive type of bow.

where it's sort of semi-fantastical with the beautiful swirling geometric shapes built within the design of animals, often like the swirls in the ears and things like that. And it is absolutely beautiful. We have the specific weapons, so the Scythians are always renowned for the bow, a very distinctive type of bow.

The Greeks in particular associate them with a particular type of axe, a very long-handled axe. So we've got the art, we've got the weaponry, and the other one is the horse bridle, a very distinctive type of bridle. So if we see those three... that's when the name Scythian will kind of be comfortably associated with a site.

The Greeks in particular associate them with a particular type of axe, a very long-handled axe. So we've got the art, we've got the weaponry, and the other one is the horse bridle, a very distinctive type of bridle. So if we see those three... that's when the name Scythian will kind of be comfortably associated with a site.

The Greeks in particular associate them with a particular type of axe, a very long-handled axe. So we've got the art, we've got the weaponry, and the other one is the horse bridle, a very distinctive type of bridle. So if we see those three... that's when the name Scythian will kind of be comfortably associated with a site.

But we've always got to be a little bit careful because we don't necessarily know if it's because they were Scythian, because they held these items in great esteem, what quite the relationship is there. So yeah, so it's just always something to kind of keep in mind whenever we talk about the Scythians, especially further east and the more vague it becomes.

But we've always got to be a little bit careful because we don't necessarily know if it's because they were Scythian, because they held these items in great esteem, what quite the relationship is there. So yeah, so it's just always something to kind of keep in mind whenever we talk about the Scythians, especially further east and the more vague it becomes.

But we've always got to be a little bit careful because we don't necessarily know if it's because they were Scythian, because they held these items in great esteem, what quite the relationship is there. So yeah, so it's just always something to kind of keep in mind whenever we talk about the Scythians, especially further east and the more vague it becomes.

Absolutely that. So this is why I was sort of throwing around some of the names. We've also got like the Sarmatians, the Saramatians. These are names you might come across, especially in Roman history.

Absolutely that. So this is why I was sort of throwing around some of the names. We've also got like the Sarmatians, the Saramatians. These are names you might come across, especially in Roman history.