San Diego State University Greek Goldsmith History Essay

Source 3.2 A Greek Goldsmith Depicts the Scythians

Nomadic Scythian pastoralists who grazed their animals on the

vast grasslands north of the Black Sea traded extensively with

Greek colonies along the coast. Skilled craftsmen in these

settlements regularly created luxury items for nomadic elites like

this magnificent gold beaker dating from the fourth century B.C.E.

The beaker depicts scenes from the everyday life of pastoralists,

including the stringing of a bow, the bandaging of a wound, and,

in the scene depicted here, the pulling of a tooth — a common if

painful procedure in the ancient world. Found in a Scythian

grave on the Crimean Peninsula, the lifelike figures reflect Greek

artistic sensibilities, but the hairstyles and clothing are distinctly

Scythian.

Question 1

An elite Scythian most likely commissioned this beaker.

How does this information shape how you think about this

Greek depiction of the Scythians?

Question 2

Does the beaker offer any evidence that the Greek craftsman

who made it had directly encountered Scythians?

Question 3

Both the beaker and Herodotus present Greek views of other cultures. What does the beaker add to the insights offered

by Herodotus?

Scythian Cup, Crimea

4th century B.C.E.