Barry Cunlife - The Scythians

Bug
the way of death
N
kurgans
towns
Seventh–fifth century
Fourth century: excavated
Fourth century: unexcavated
Dnieper
Olbia
Sea of
Azov
Panticapaeum
Neapolis Scythica
Nymphaion
Black Sea
0 100 miles
0 100km
11.1 Rich burials in the Pontic steppe tend to cluster in the valley of the Dnieper River immediately downstream
from the rapids which prevent upriver progress. This may be the land of the Gerrhoi referred to by
Herodotus as being the burial place of the Scythian kings.
nine largest fifth-century tombs (excluding those of the Kerch Peninsula) and twelve
of the sixteen richest fourth-century burials are to be found. In other words, by far
the greatest number of fifth- and fourth-century tombs were concentrated in this
one restricted area. At the time that Herodotus was writing it had already attracted
a significant concentration of very rich interments and was to remain the focus for
kingly burials for more than a century afterwards. The second statement implies that
the burial grounds of the kings lay on the periphery of the Scythian domain. While
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