Abstract
The Scythians are frequently presented, in popular and academic thought alike, as highly mobile warrior nomads who posed a great economic risk to growing Mediterranean empires from the Iron Age into the Classical period. Archaeological studies provide evidence of first millennium BCE urbanism in the steppe while historical texts reference steppe agriculture, challenging traditional characterizations of Scythians as nomads. However, there have been few direct studies of the diet and mobility of populations living in the Pontic steppe and forest-steppe during the Scythian era. Here, we analyse strontium, oxygen, and carbon isotope data from human tooth enamel samples, as well as nitrogen and carbon isotope data of bone collagen, at several Iron Age sites across Ukraine commonly associated with ‘Scythian’ era communities. Our multi-isotopic approach demonstrates generally low levels of human mobility in the vicinity of urban locales, where populations engaged in agro-pastoralism focused primarily on millet agriculture. Some individuals show evidence for long-distance mobility, likely associated with significant inter-regional connections. We argue that this pattern supports economic diversity of urban locales and complex trading networks, rather than a homogeneous nomadic population.
Highlights
The Iron Age period ranges from 700 to 200 cal BCE and is characterized by the Scythian culture groups. The economy of these groups has previously been linked to nomadic pastoralism, with high levels of mobility, some scholars suggest that large settlements are evidence of a sedentary component of society that engaged in agricultural activities [30]
Medvin is located on a Cenozoic substrate but surrounded by Palaeozoic substrates (0.7110 to 0.7130) and individuals had 87Sr/86Sr ratios (Figs 2, 3A and 3B) that suggest that they moved between these zones, with localized mobility being the most parsimonious explanation
Romantic perceptions of nomadic Scythians focus on the extent of mobility, gene-flow between populations, and engagements in warfare [3] that are grounded in evidence from burial assemblages, including weapons, armaments, and other personal accoutrements
Summary
The Eneolithic period in the North Pontic Region lasts from 3900 to 2900 cal BCE [25] and includes the well-known Tripolye culture. This is a period often discussed as one of intense migration and nomadism, while the economy is considered to have been based on pastoralism. The Iron Age period ranges from 700 to 200 cal BCE and is characterized by the Scythian culture groups The economy of these groups has previously been linked to nomadic pastoralism, with high levels of mobility, some scholars suggest that large settlements are evidence of a sedentary component of society that engaged in agricultural activities [30]. While tooth selection was preferred from the left mandible, this was not standard across individuals due to issues with skeletal preservation
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