Scythians

The Scythians

 

                              

 

Scythians (Sakas) are Eastern Aryanian, speaking Eastern Iranian language of Bactrian, somewhat like Pashtu/Avestian, living in eastern Iran in today's Afghanistan living among other Aryanic tribes. Their home was known as Sakastan which is today's Nimroz province at their capital of Zaranj (1000-800 BCE) "The capital of  Sistan (Sakistan) Land of the Saka. Persians of the earliest Aryan type. Zaranj was a London of the East'. The homes, like other towns in Central Asia were built from clay in the form of archlike vaults." (Barthold: 1984..pg 69). Others like George Morgenstierne, the linguist thinks that Sakas were from Bakhtar (Balkh) or Bactria brought Eastern Iranian Language of Pashtu to south-eastern Iran and southern Afghanistan. On the other hand Dariush inscription of Bisotun, placed Sakastan �Shahr-e �sukhteh� or "homeland of Scythians� near Koh-i-Kojha, (Mountain of leaders) located in Zaranj from archaeological point of view.

 

 

The Saka tribe managed to united other Aryan/Afghan tribes along. It was around 700 BCE that one of this Afghan tribe made their first cutting through the young Median empire and appeared in Assyrian border. The Scythian king, Partatua married an Assyrian princess in 674 B.C. and two nations remained allies from there the Scythians became entangled in Mesopotamian politics.

 

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At the request of Ashurbanipal of Assyria, the Scythians in 650 BCE reinvaded the Median Empire this time from the northwest and East. Their campaigns were so effective that a Scythian, Madius, became ruler of the Medes for twenty-eight years (653 BC - 625 BC) and temporarily elimated the Medes as a threat to Assyria. After 625 BCE, however, the Scythians left the Median Empire - whether they did so voluntarily or were expelled is debated. At any rate, following the Median sack of Assur in 614 BC, the Sakas were compelled to switch sides and ally with the Medes. They comprised part of the force that sacked Nineveh 612 BC.

 

Some time afterwards, the Scythians returned to their homeland, but few Scythians did not leave they made themselves a new home. According ancient Diodorus Siculus at the 1st century B.C. Scythians "lived in very small numbers at the Araks River....that they gained for themselves a country in the mountains up to the Caucasus, in the lowland on the coast of the Ocean (Caspian Sea) and the Meot Lake (Azov Sea) and other territories up to the Tanais River (Don River). Born in that land from the conjugal union of Zeus and a snake-legged goddess was a son Scyth (Sakha) who gave the name Scythian to the people they won for themselves a country "behind the Tanais River up to the Egyptian Nile River"

(Diodorus II, 43).

 

From 5th century BCE to 1st century BCE Europeans have faced many difficulties with this small tribe reasonably big enough to cause distractions. Scythians attacked many parts of Europe, including Ukraine Rome, Greece. The Scythians left Caucasus and North western Persia the came back home (Sakastan). That doesn't mean end of Scythian invasion. Scythians attacked Altai regions many times and looted gold from its mountains after Alexander the Great 's run another very important event took place the Saka tribe made a new turning point to Indus valley from 250 BCE-50 BCE they are known as Indo-Scythians. This time Scythians were much more advanced bring a new history page to Indians.

 

 

Language:

 

Scythian tribe (Saka tribe) were somewhat illiterate when they first came to Europe, they left few records behind. However the Scythian language still survived, by no arguments Pashtu is classified as Scythian language, and we can still trace the remains of Scythians in Europe their language is known as Ossetic or Ossetian. Which by no means is the closest language to Pashtu.

 

 

Life Style of the Saka's:

 

The Scythians were famous for their bloody tribal custom.  Warriors not only cut off the heads of slain enemies but also made leather-bound drinking cups from their enemies' skulls. Scythians were traditionally polygamous and male- dominated society. A wealthy Scythian could take several wives. Scythian women had little power beyond the confines of their households.

 

 

Their staple diet consisted of kumis, a form of fermented mare's milk which is still popular in Afghanistan, a good deal of cheese, and vegetables such as onions, garlic and beans. They cooked their meat as a stew. As for cleaning, Herodotus noted that the Scythians did not use water for washing. Instead the women used a paste of pounded cypress, cedar and frankincense that, according to Herodotus, they applied to the face and body: "A sweet odour is thereby imparted to them, and when they take off the plaster on the day following, their skin is clean and glossy". Scythians are said to be passionate people - bearded men with dark, deep set eyes with long, wind-snarled hair.

 

 

The Death:

 

Prolonged and demonstrative grieving followed the death of every Scythian tribesman. At the death of a king all Scythian tribes joined a show of stupendous grief that last 40 days (Which is still practiced among muslim Afghans its called Da-Roz-i-Chil meaning the 40th day where prayers are made to mark 40 days from her/his death). Herodotus also noticed that the grave was to be covered with 60-feet hight mound.

 

 

Religion:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The religion of Scythians who came to Europe is not known since it has not been recorded. However we can see Avestia and Rigvada influence both books which were created in Afghanistan. Here this one can we distinguish signs 59-33 Tar(a) and a stylised drawing of a  pair of horses. On the other hand, a pair of horses � signs of the sun � is associated with the  god Andora/Indara according to old Aryan hymns of Rigvada (II, 11: 6, 7).

Originally posted by chimera Persian/Sanskrit "braman(i)ya" means "religiously" and its IE word-root brih "praise. expand" Brahma is seen in Old Swedish "bram" as "state.pomp" and Polish/German "bram" meaning "ship top-mast" for state and admirals' flags, and OEnglish "breme' meaning "high.famous .noble".  These words were around the Baltic Sea, near where Sarmatians and Scythians were recorded from 6th cent BCE. As Scythians of Ukraine had Danu, and Tocharians of the steppes had "brahmn.kte" Brahma , then logically Scythians also had Brahma, or brahm in general terms. This may explain the Vishnu idol recently excavated on the Volga river.(see Mesopotamia-Iran board thread). chimera

The "braman(i)ya" words are from the Behistun Inscription of Darius I. The rest are from internet dictionary-etymology sites. My interest is the shape of fire-temples with 4 corner towers and central tower, connected with Mount Meru and Angkor Wat. In Armenia, the Mother Temple was built over a fire-temple and has that shape, which also is in Celtic temples in France and UK,4th cent BCE-1st cent CE, and on Church Gothic steeples. It seems that they all represent the same concept of rule by a religion/government to the "4 corners" of land area. It is open to debate whether the idea spread from the west of Europe 3000BCE or from central Asia 1400BCE or a combination of both.

You both agree that Afghanistan gets a mention, so evidently the Brahmin culture was in all the areas you have written. Mount Meru of Pamirs is their world-center, which suggests a wider region for Brahmins.

Originally posted by Nick   Scythian tribe (Saka tribe) were somewhat illiterate when they first came to Europe, they left few records behind. However the Scythian language still survived, by no arguments Pashtu is classified as Scythian language, and we can still trace the remains of Scythians in Europe their language is known as Ossetic or Ossetian. Which by no means is the closest language to Pashtu.

um how is pashto classified as scythian? Evidence for this is?

AFAIK, Pashto is classified as a south-east iranian language, and ive never heard of a 'scythian' classification. BTW Osset  is a north-eastern iranic language hence why they might not be so similar, yet you say they are both scythian.

Scytian, Sarmatian and Saka and their origin have been discussed, God, perhaps for several hundred times, especially by well known historian, ethnographs and so on. They.re ancestors of many of us. And they were indo-european, their language was IRANIAN, not turkish, not turkic and not hunnic, and not slavic and not germanic. Later in history, akmost all nomads living in eastern Iran, Asia, Euripe steppes were called as scythians, even goths - Germans said Attila came and drove out all scythians. Those are not real scythians. Of course. Also, talking in Ireani, does never ever means talking Persian. Iran is huge thing. Persian is very small comparing to it. Iran is general. It is not genetical, it is cultural, and a bit religional.

Originally posted by Leonidas Originally posted by Nick   Scythian tribe (Saka tribe) were somewhat illiterate when they first came to Europe, they left few records behind. However the Scythian language still survived, by no arguments Pashtu is classified as Scythian language, and we can still trace the remains of Scythians in Europe their language is known as Ossetic or Ossetian. Which by no means is the closest language to Pashtu. um how is pashto classified as scythian? Evidence for this is? AFAIK, Pashto is classified as a south-east iranian language, and ive never heard of a 'scythian' classification. BTW Osset  is a north-eastern iranic language hence why they might not be so similar, yet you say they are both scythian.

Hurrians of 1400 BCE in north Mesopotamia had Vedic gods such as Indra, Vayu,Svar,Soma, the Devas and Rta.  Its possible that various IE people contributed to Vedic ideas 1500-500BCE.

@ nick

with respect to pashtuns. your evidence doesn't show that pashtuns are from scythians. scythians lived in a vast area and most likely around caspian sea and north of black sea. since there is not much known scythian words you can't claim that pashtun language is close or closest one to scythian language. we just know that their language was similar to persian language and nothing else ( Greek historian mention that). about avestan I should to say old persian and pahlavi is closest language to avestan not pashtun. I speak one of the old and good preserved Iranian language very similar to pahlavi and beside I am zoroastrian and can understand old persian and avestan enough to judge which language is close to avestan.


Edited by kajdom - 05-Feb-2007 at 05:17

Shu Tegin : the Schtian khan who fought against Alexander.he got killed bu anyway,he showed courage,its something 
this guy has an epope and he is barely Turkic.
an armor which was found in a kurgan in Schtian region was totally the same as an other armor which was found in a kurgan in Kazakhistan.
they had the same horse archer tactics as Turks
they were nomads like Turks
they fought,they rode,they lived like Turks