Adriana Kamenetsky wrote:
>
> Part 1.1.1 Type: Plain Text (text/plain)
> Encoding: quoted-printable
>
> Name: Scythians.txt
> Part 1.2 Type: Plain Text (text/plain)
> Encoding: quoted-printable
Hello,
I am still trying to find that particular book on Slavic Paganism -
getting closer (if you are still interested.)
Let's go back to Scythians. S.culture developed on the foundation
of the late timber-grave culture(north of Black Sea) of 8th C BC. The
culture of Altai Scythians existed from 6th C BC to 4th C BC. The
kurgans of Altai mountains stretch so far East, connecting Europe to the
Far East.There are found many typical artifacts with Chinese textiles.
They did their raids on Chinese borders. And the Great Chinese Wall was
started in 7th C BC as a defense against barbarian invasions.
Especially, the Western Wall (Ho-hsi wall) was built against western
nomads in 370-335 BC. Fortifications against Hsiung-nu date 221 BC.
Near Minusinks(north of Altai Mountains, east of Baikal lake),
there are thousands of kurgans; they belong to Tagar culture(6th-3rd C
BC). They possesed a highly advanced metalurgy, they buried their dead
in the stone or log sarcophagus. They art is Scytho-Siberian. They were
setteled people because of favourable geographic conditions. They
irrigated their fields, herded their short- and long-horned cattle
year-around. But they were Europoids, surrounded by mountains that
prevented mixing with Mongoloids living further east.
The Scythian kurgans show, thanks to developed antropology today,
that warriors and men of the upper social stratum were over 6 ft high
and, occasionally, over 2 m, with well-developed bodies. European
Scythians show no Mongoloid characteristics. However, as we know, many
Chinese potentates married off princes and other high-ranking women to
S. leaders to assure loyalty( examples date to 300-100 BC). So there
were many mixed offspings later on.
The Arzhan kurgan near Tuva( 8-6th C BC) has Europoids too. But
Pazyryk kurgan(5-3rd C BC) shows men of very mixed characteristics while
women have definite Europoid features. ( Interesting, that the "Gaming
Carpet" from that kurgan looks very Mayan!)
The Pazyryk kurgan #2 shows a magnificently tattooed mummy(
tattooing was a mark of high birth) with images of stags(popular Celtic
motif), fish, horse, rams, leopards?. Scythians used to skin their
enemies, tan their skin and use it as ornaments; they also used the
enemy sculls as drinking bowls. And the worth of the warrior was
determined by the number of heads handed to his prince. Such headhunting
practice was evident among Celts and Germanic tribes. Also scalping was
considered typically Scythian, Greeks even invented a special word to
denote the process - aposkythizein.
Sorry, it is so long. I got carried away. Sincerely,
Adriana
Hi Adriana,
Those Scythians certainly are interesting folks, huh. If you wish more
information (form an archaeological point of view) check out The
Alekseev Manuscript listed below.
Gerry
--
Gerald Reinhart
Independent Scholar
(650) 321-7378
waluk@...
http://www.alekseevmanuscript.com