Barry Cunlife - The Scythians

of gods, beliefs, and art
10.17 (Above left) Recoiled feline in gold from southern Siberia collected
by M. D. Gagarin and sent to Peter the Great in 1716 (seventh
century bc).
10.18 (Above right) Recoiled feline in cast bronze from near Simferopol,
Crimea (sixth century bc).
10.19 (Right) Gold plaque from the Seven Brothers kurgan. A
scene of predation with an eagle attacking a lamb.
basic form, though not so obviously feline, was found
at Kulakovsky in the Crimea and may date from the
sixth century.
In the early period the animals, predators and
prey, were usually depicted singly and with the simple
lines and planes of the woodcarver, reminding us
that they originated as wooden ornaments, sometimes
covered with gold foil or painted, for attachment
to horse harnesses and other background
materials. From the beginning of the fifth century
there are changes brought about by contact with the
Persian and Greek worlds. Greater texture is added
to the animals in a desire to make them more realistic
and the animals are now shown in juxtaposition,
usually in mortal conflict. Under Hellenistic influ-
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