How many Scythians were there?
The ancient Scythians who lived on Ukrainian territory were renowned as fierce warriors, yet at the same time they were connoisseurs of exquisite artwork. Known primarily as a nomadic folk, these enigmatic people bequeathed to posterity various unique gifts. They were the first people in the world to invent trousers, which aided them in their riding. Their dazzling gold metalwork was incredibly detailed, depicting animals so frequently that an artistic Scythian zoomorphic style has been coined. In warfare they are credited with the invention of the powerful double-curved bow, which could carry an arrow distances much further than conventional bows (Figures 1 and 2). They may also have developed chain mail, which offered superior protection in battle, but was lighter than the scale armor of the time (Figure 3). They paraded over the Ukrainian steppes for some 500 years (7th to 3rd centuries B.C.) and lingered in Crimea until the 3rd century A.D. Today their most visible remains are thei
