THE ADORNMENTS OF SCYTHIAN AGE OF THE POPULATION OF FOREST-STEPPE: INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC ON THE MATERIALS FROM DNIEPER LEFT-BANK AREA

Abstract

This paper focuses on the pins and earrings as the most popular and diverse type of Scythian jewelry. They are exactly the chronological and cultural markers used by researchers in the reconstruction of migrations and connections of the forest-steppe population. The adornments in ancient times, as well as nowadays, were one of the main cultural and social identity markers. First, they have been studied both in the context of the Scythian material remnants and the unique local variants. Vladimira Petrenko was one of the first who made the typology of these artifacts which led to the change in the field. Soon, new findings were discovered that developed the typology of the artifacts, which was based on the local variants and peculiar decorations, e. g. earrings. The common feature of the modern research is to lessen the number of taxa in the typological scheme and determine the precise and rare indicators of the type origin. Even though the adornment of Scythian Age were studied just as a part of the material culture, the consensus of the academia shows that jewelries can represent a wide range of social and cultural processes in ancient communities. Usually, the Scythian adornments are found in the burial and settled sites. Such material remnants combined with the anthropological data and certain fixation can enlarge our understanding of the usage and function of these artifacts. Furthermore, they give us knowledge of the possible popular costume of the time, the sex and age differences in fashion. In addition, new finds from the settlements widen the source base. The analysis of the jewelries in the context of the settlement structures gives a more precise chronology and modes of production. Today, it is sure that the main three technological methods were welding, casting, and smiting. Each method related to the distinct forms and metals the item was made of.