Barry Cunlife - The Scythians

5 Solokha comb
gallery of objects
(State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg)
Found in the main chamber of the Solokha tomb close to the principal burial during
the excavations of N. I. Veselovsky in 1913. Early fourth century bc.
The comb, cast from gold, is 126 mm in height overall. The comb proper, with
19 tines, is topped by five crouching lions which together form the base. The comb
depicts a lively battle scene involving combatants. The central figure on horseback
confronts an adversary who approaches on foot, his horse having just been fatally
injured. Another man on foot advances in support of the mounted warrior. The
dress and armour are depicted in great detail. All three men wear loose embroidered
trousers possibly with appliqué gold attachments but otherwise they are differently
dressed and equipped. The foot soldier wears a Scythian-style belted long coat
and carries a shield and a short sword with his gorytos attached to his left side. The
mounted warrior is heavily armoured, wearing a tunic of mail, metal greaves, and a
metal helmet, the latter two being both of Greek type. He carries his shield on his left
arm and holds a short spear in his right hand. His gorytos hangs on his left side. He
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