Bulgarian archaeologists have found a unique Scythian scepter made of bone

Professor Nikolov: Scythian burials are extremely rare

A unique Scythian bone scepter, dating back to the 5th century BC, was discovered by archaeologists in northeastern Bulgaria.

Belonging to a Scythian military commander from the 5th century BC, a unique bone scepter was discovered during excavations at the prehistoric salt production and urban center of Provadiya-Solnitsata in northeastern Bulgaria.

As the Arkeonews website explains, the Scythians were a steppe and semi-steppe people who arrived on the Danube in the seventh century BC. They entered the territory of modern Bulgaria, but there is no evidence that they fought with the local inhabitants. There is information that they had clashes with the Thracians after the 5th century BC.

The archaeological group that made the unusual discovery is headed by Professor Vasil Nikolov. The scepter was found in a grave examined by archaeologists Violetta Stoytsova and Kalina Samichkova.

Professor Vasil Nikolov told the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) that Scythian graves are something very rare, in modern North-Eastern Bulgaria they are extremely rare, with only four or five such objects discovered so far.

The dug hole is different from those that have been found so far, explained Professor Nikolov. The shape of the grave of a Scythian warrior resembles a boot with a hollowed out part. Apparently the excavations were carried out in later times, but people saw the skull and upper part of the man’s skeleton, which are missing today, and immediately stopped, Nikolov explained.

Respect for the graves of their ancestors was very important for the Scythians, says the Bulgarian professor. Anyone who damaged one of these tombs would have harmed the Scythians. Perhaps the people who dug up the grave realized that the man lying there was an important Scythian and left the grave without looting it.

Archaeologists have now found a bone scepter, which a researcher described as “an incredible achievement of the art of the time.” Along with human bones, they also found the bones of a horse, an iron knife, a small dog and a turtle.

The Scythians had exceptional traditions in the art of bone carving, notes Arkeonews. The length of the scepter is 39 centimeters. The handle is made from two pieces of bone glued together. The connection between the head and the handle of the scepter is made very precisely. If you look at it from one side, it looks like the beak of an eagle, but on the other hand, the ancient master carved an anthropomorphic image in which the beak looks like a hat.

Nikolov noted that the scepter was proof of the skill of its owners, and added that it probably belonged to the commander of a small military unit.

“Those that have been found so far are usually cruciform, with an ornithomorphic (a figure in ancient art that resembles a bird) upper part. Most often, craftsmen carved an eagle, because this bird is part of the Scythian religious and mythological system,” Nikolov said.