SCYTHIAN SWORD FROM SLOVIANSK

Abstract

Recently new chance find of the Scythian long sword was presented in the Sloviansk regional museum. Thanks to attention of activists and officials, it was restored in a proper manner.
 The sword has zoomorphic antenna pommel, triangular crossguard and long blade with grooves. Due to analogies from the burials, this sword dates by the middle — late 5th century BC. Similar finds are known from Beresniahy, barrow 4, Aktash, barrow 48 and others.
 This period was time of permanent conflicts and instability in Northern Black Sea region. For example, such prominent sites as Motronyn and Western Bilsk hillforts became desolate. It is interesting that range of 5th century BC bladed weapon was very wide.
 At the same time, Sloviansk region was sparsely populated frontier of the Scythian culture. However, there are known some individual weapon chance finds and separated burials. They are located near the watershed rout that later was named Muravskii way. We can assume that they mark area of nomad’s strategic interests and points of clashes for the salt lakes and fertile floodplains in the Siverskii Dinets basin. In addition, it should be noted that hypothesis about chance finds of swords as remains of Ares’s altar has no reliable evidences.