Abstract
Attempts to push the Archaic Scythian culture back in time have led to a disagreement between archaeological and written sources relevant to the appearance of Scythians in the region north of the Black Sea. In the recent two decades, this event was moved from the late 7th century BC, as the documents suggest, to the mid-7th century BC. In this study, one of the chronological markers motivating this date is subjected to a critical revision. Based on new facts, the dates of “Scythian” and Greek mirrors found at Northern Pontic sites are analyzed. Importantly, both “Scythian” and Greek specimens were cultural innovations marking the migration of Scythians from eastern Eurasia and the Greek colonization of the area. Because the nomads lacked the skills required for manufacturing the “Scythian” mirrors, the tradition declined in the 5th century BC. The contacts between Scythians and people of the Northern Pontic forest-steppe zone and of the Greek colonies caused the change in the construction of the “Scythian” mirrors: instead of the central (“Scythian”) lug, a “Greek” side lug appeared, rendering the mirrors “Greek” in shape. It is concluded that replicas of Greek prototypes in the Northern Pontic region can serve as chronological indicators since we know the centers where these prototypes were manufactured––Corinth and Argos. Because Archaic Greek mirrors appeared in the 6th century BC, Scythian assemblages with such artifacts cannot be earlier.
Highlights
Studies into the material and spiritual culture of the Scythians, as well as clarification of the time and nature of their relationship with other peoples, are conducted using archaeological and written sources
The archaeological materials of the Kelermes cemetery form the basis for determining the duration of the Early Scythian stage in the history of the Northern Black Sea region and the North Caucasus, since they can be correlated with written sources that reflect the events associated with the stay of the Scythians on the territory of Western Asia
One of them is associated with establishing the time when bronze mirrors with side-handles appeared in the Northern Pontic region: in the studies, the side-handle assumed the role of a dating indicator (Vakhtina, Kashuba, 2016: 42–43, 47)
Summary
On the Time and Context of the Earliest Bronze Mirrors in the Northern Pontic Region. On the basis of new facts, the dates of “Scythian” and Greek mirrors found at Northern Pontic sites have been analyzed. Both “Scythian” and Greek mirrors were cultural innovations marking the migration of Scythians from Eastern Eurasia and the Greek colonization of the area. The contacts between the Scythians and people of the Northern Pontic forest-steppe zone and of the Greek colonies are reflected in the changed construction of the “Scythian” mirrors: instead of the central (“Scythian”) loop-handle, a “Greek” side-handle appeared, giving the mirrors a “Greek” shape.
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