Barry Cunlife - The Scythians

gallery of objects
1. Two unbearded young horsemen accompanied by their hunting dogs confront
an angry lion, one with his hunting spear, the other with a bow and arrow. The
lion has caught and broken a spear in his mouth.
2. A similar scene on the opposite side of the cup shows two young horsemen, one
armed with a bow, the other with a spear, cornering a horned lioness.
3. Beneath one of the lug handles two lions face each other.
4. Beneath the other handle are two confronting dogs. The upper sides of the handles
are each decorated with a pair of ram’s heads.
The scenes are clearly mythological and probably depict the exploits of Scythian
heroes defeating predatory powers. One suggestion is that they symbolize the battle
between the world of the living and the world of the dead. Another possibility is that
it illustrates the rite of passage when young men reaching puberty are required to
face savage odds.
In addition to reminding us of the importance of the hunt in Scythian life, the
scenes contain much detail of clothing, weapons, and horse gear.
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