The Scythians inhabited the Eurasian steppe from 900 BC to around 200 BC. With no Scythian writing surviving, much of what is known about the people comes from ancient Assyrian and Graeco-Roman literary sources and from archaeological evidence. From these sources, it is clear that the Scythians were formidable warriors and accomplished riders, roaming the Eurasian steppes and controlling the regional trade. The Greeks first encountered the Scythians in the 7th century BCE, and with the establishment of many Greek cities in the region, the Greek and Scythian cultures would greatly influence the other’s culture and art for centuries.
The circular shape of the pendant could be a reference to the sun disc motif, popular in Western Asiatic visual culture. The addition of four points (four smaller discs) and four ‘rays’ between each two points reinforces the association. Many representations of this symbol of the sun with four points and four rays between are preserved. Often these symbols were worn as pendants on a necklace or amulets, as suggested by stone moulds for casting sun discs that were found across the Middle East.
To find out more about different metal decorative techniques please see our relevant blog post: Decorative Metalwork Techniques
