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Near Eastern Art :
Scythian Art : Scythian Gold Plaque
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Scythian Gold Plaque - OS.242
Origin: Central Asia
Circa: 500
BC
to 400
BC
Dimensions:
1.30" (3.3cm) wide
Collection: Near Eastern Art
Medium: Gold
£9,900.00
Location: Great Britain
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| Description |
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The Scythians ruled the lands north of the Black
Sea, having migrated to this area from further
east in the 7th century BC. Literary evidence of
this nomadic civilisation comes largely from the
writings of the Greek historian Herodotus.
Material remains have been found in the lavishly
equipped funeral mounds (known as kurhans)
and demonstrate the Scythian obsession with
finely crafted gold. The source of the gold used
in these pieces is unknown; there are no natural
gold sources in Scythia or modern Ukraine. It
may have been obtained by trade with the
Caucasus region or have come from Kazakhstan,
the Altai Mountains or Transylvania. Undoubtedly
Scythian craftsmen were responsible for some of
the metalwork that survives, other pieces would
have been produced by foreigners, particularly
the Greeks. This artistic interchange with the
classical and Near Eastern worlds was a result of
extensive trade. Indeed the Scythian rulers
acquired great wealth by supplying the Greek
world with grain and other products, such as
animal skins.
Gold plaques were extremely popular amongst
the Scythian elite as a means to embellish
clothing and horse trappings. Animal motifs were
ubiquitous and reflect the importance of horses
and hunting to the Scythian way of life. The stag
was undoubtedly the most popular image but
leopards and birds of prey were also common.
Mythological animals appear more rarely and
seem to have been adapted from a variety of
sources, for example, the griffin with a raised
paw is of Near Eastern origin. This plaque depicts
a dragon-like beast with flickering tongue, horns
and raised tail/wing. The image has been
predominantly hammered from the reverse
however a design of repeating circles has been
added to the neck and lower body from the
obverse. Scythian animals often appear locked in
combat, curled into a circle or running- as
evident in the present plaque. This emphasis on
speed and motion has been linked to the values
of the Scythian elite, masters of the art of war
and hunting. The reverse has four gold hooks
placed at equal intervals for attaching the
plaque. (AM)
- (OS.242)
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