Barry Cunlife - The Scythians

8 Sachnovka diadem
gallery of objects
(Kiev Museum of Historical Treasures)
Found in kurgan 2 near the village of Sachnovka in Cherkaska Oblast. Excavated by
V. le Heze in 1901. Second half of the fourth century bc.
Embossed gold plate curved to form the lower part of a diadem, 98 mm in height
and 365 mm in overall length. The upper edge and sides of the plate are perforated for
attachment.
The scene is composed of ten figures. In the centre is a seated female with an attendant
standing next to her. She wears a dress, with some kind of neck ornament, and
a tall flat-topped hat. In her right hand she holds a cup and in her left a mirror, both
to the left-hand side of her body as if showing them to a bearded man, who kneels
facing her. His hands are outstretched towards her and
he wears a gorytos on his left side denoting his warrior
status. Behind the bearded warrior is a bearded
man playing a lyre; he is also kneeling. Then follow
two beardless men relating to each other but facing
front. Both are kneeling, but one only on one
knee. He holds a beaker aloft in his left hand while
in his right he holds a rhyton which the other man
is filling from a fluted ewer. Between them, on the
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