The thesis examines jewel metal costume appliqués of Scythian elite representatives discovered in the barrows of Eastern European Steppe. The research is based on the narrative and archaeological sources. The author has analyzed the evidence of written sources on the use of jewel decoration as clothing applications by Scythians as well as the researches of Graeco-Scythian toreutics and costume of Iranian peoples.
The archaeological base of the study contains the appliqués of clothes from 131 barrows in Eastern European Steppe. They are dated by existence of the Scythian culture at the territory under study – the second half of the 7th – beginning of the 3rd century BC. The total number of examined items is 43 071, only 116 of which are attributed as long plates of headdress. Over 99% of items under analysis belong to the small applications of garments that were used as décor of all parts of the costume, from headdress to shoes.
According to the author's typology of plates of Scythians clothes, 32 types of long, 92 types with 160 variants of small appliqués were classified. Such division enabled to trace the social, gender, chronological, territorial, and sacred features of their use.
The vast majority of long appliqués decorated women's headdress. The exceptions are two plates from Kul-Oba that adorned the male “başlık” (hood). In addition, exclusive on plot of image and gender of carrier is a piece of plate from Lytyi (Melhunovskyi) barrow, which according to the excavation report, adorned forehead band, or “başlık” of man.
The condition of some artifacts (the presence of additional holes near the broken ones), the evidence of replacing of lost items by adding the new ones (Lytyi barrow, Tovsta Mohyla), and fitting the shape of already made plaques due to the form of “calafs” (special form of Greek and Scythian headdresses), points at facts that clothes, decorated with gold, were used in ceremonies.
Basing on the chronological and geographical distribution of different types the theory of at least two waves of migration of Scythian nomads in the Eastern Steppe area was confirmed.
In consequence of the distribution of the assemblages under study to nine chronological groups and applying them on the map, the certain periods of expansion and constriction of influence zone of nomadic elite in the 7th – the beginning of the 3rd century BC was marked. If the time of the first five groups (second half of the 7th – last quarter of the 5th centuries BC) includes relatively few elite barrows with small number of plaques. Beginning from the sixth group (first quarter of the 4th century BC) their number increases significantly. The real boom in the use of jewel appliqués of the garments traced on the third quarter of 4th century BC – chronological limits of eighth group. In the next period, the ninth group (fourth quarter of the 4th – the beginning of the 3rd centuries BC), this tradition gradually extinct. Thus, the example of graves of Scythian Steppe elite can show some ripple in the evolution of Scythian culture in the region. Perhaps, by analyzing a broader set of materials it could be possible to talk about the location of certain tribal groups in certain intervals in the considered territory.
In addition, the difference between plagues of costume from the elite graves of Steppe and Forest-Steppe was observed. It take place in presence of some, possibly, local images in both regions, in primitive manner of depiction of many types of decoration of Forest-Steppe elite clothes, and in chronological diversity. Thus, many Forest-Steppe elite graves are dating back to the 7th – 5th centuries B.C., when in Steppe the amount of the complexes of 4th century B.C. prevail.
Certainly, the character of images presented on these appliqués does not seem random. They are related mostly with the basic concepts of Iranians on the death, life, and rebirth through the death. They also reflect the solar and chthonic symbolism and understanding of the universe by the Scythians through binary oppositions.
The symbolism of the images is spectacular on the long plaques of headdresses where some integral “rows” and “order of code” could be seen which is harder appeared on the small plates.
The patterns of the use of plates of certain types on the certain parts of clothes were also examined but more detailed analysis in this direction is the matter of future research.
Therefore, the appliqués of Scythian costume are the highly informative source for the studying of the history of the Scythian people, chronology of the Scythian culture, and marked the social position and gender roles, migrations and cult practice.
