Books about Scythian from Amazon.com

Spectacular works of art have recently been excavated in Filippovka, Russia. They were created from about the fifth to the fourth century B.C. by the nomadic people who lived on the steppes of the southern Ural Mountain region. The objects include wooden, deerlike creatures overlaid with sheets of gold and silver, as well as gold attachments, with representations of animals, for wooden vessels, leather, and fabric. These unique works of art are the focus of this stunning book. The subjects represented in the Filippovka works are similar to those in the animal repertoire of contemporary Scythian art, but the exuberant and highly ornamental Filippovka style is unmatched in the area and resembles that of artworks found much farther east, in the frozen tombs of the Altai Mountains region of Siberia and in western China. An introductory overview by Ann Farkas and essays by Russian authorities explain the history and archaeology of the nomads of Eurasia, the Filippovka kurgans, cults and rituals of the steppe nomads, and conservation of the Filippovka finds. The volume also includes a catalogue of the more than two hundred objects, both Filippovka works from the collection of the Archaeological Museum in Ufa and related Scythian, Sarmatian, and Siberian art from The State Hermitage in Saint Petersburg..
Price: $25.68 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Though the 'Scythian period' in the history of Eastern Europe lasted little more than 400 years, the impression these horsemen made upon the history of their times was such that a thousand years after they had ceased to exist as a sovereign people, their heartland and the territories which they dominated far beyond it continued to be known as 'greater Scythia'. From the very beginnings of their emergence on the world scene the Scythians took part in the greatest campaigns of their times, defeating such mighty contemporaries as Assyria, Urartu, Babylonia, Media and Persia. This highly illustrated book details their costume, weapons and the way they waged war..
Price: $9.24 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Who were the Iron Age peoples of Europe? Celts, Germans, Scythians: these are among the names that come to mind. But such names and the characteristics associated with them, come to us from outside observers - Greek and Roman writers - not from the native peoples themselves. To understand how late prehistoric groups constructed and expressed their identities, we need to examine the rich archaeological evidence left by the Iron Age Europeans themselves. Recent theoretical and methodological advances in anthropology, archaeology and history, together with results of archaeological research all over Europe, provide the basis for a new approach to the problem of the identities of Iron Age peoples. Peter Wells uses patterns of identity revealed in the archaeology to interpret the commentaries of Greek and Roman authors who conveyed their own perceptions of these non-literate groups. Finally, he examines ways in which Iron Age Europeans responded to the Greek and Roman representations of them. The result was an ever-changing mosaic of complex and dynamic identities among the diverse peoples of Late Iron Age Europe..
Price: $19.99 [Notify me when price goes down.]

the first millenium BC before settling north of the Black Sea. Their distinctive animal style of art now is widespread in Central Asia..
Price: $17.89 [Notify me when price goes down.]

***** A Cast of Characters in the Conan Vein *****

Kruzurk Makshare the magician is asked by the spirit of Merlin of Pendragon, his long dead mentor, to destroy another former apprentice, the villainous Seed of Cerberus That requires entry into Blackgloom Keep which can only be entered via sorcery. Kruze realizes he needs help, since he cannot use sorcery. He chooses Daynin McKinnon, who has just discovered what may be the fabled Scythian Stone.

Kruze uses the stone to gain entry into the fortress, which causes a whole series of unforeseen and horrific events to unfold for Daynin and his cadre of friends. The colorful cast of good guys includes the lovely Sabritha who becomes a love interest for Daynin. There is also the ghost of a giant resurrected Pictish king named Brude McAlpin, who both helps and hinders Daynin and Kruzurk in the rest of their adventures.

Assorted bad guys include Saxons, Caledonians and numerous other cutthroats bent on capturing Daynin for the bounty put on his head and the bounty he discovered at Blackgloom. Those bounties are the driving force behind all of the chasing, combat and magical events that occur in the rest of the book. And there is a LOT of that in this 445 page epic.

This book provides a wealth of historical detail which should set a new standard for fantasy readers who want more than mere monsters and magic to whet their imagination. Most romance readers, too, will find plenty of the 'spice' they seek, as will all those fantasy readers who are looking for a cast of characters in the Conan vein.

Blackgloom is the first book in a five book series. Episode two, THE REGENTS OF RHUM is in the works. Blackgloom is also being considered for a movie option..
Price: $9.95 [Notify me when price goes down.]