Decorated Swords as Emblems of Power on the Steppes of the Northern Black Sea Region (3 rd c. BC – mid–3 rd c. AD)

Abstract

The practice of using a sword in a funerary context as one of the items that accompanied the deceased varied considerably in ancient societies. The appearance of ornate swords in a funerary context might indicate that different societies had similar lifestyles and values. The North Pontic region in the “Sarmatian era” is one such territory where decorated swords of barbarian elites have been recovered. The region also consisted of different kinds of societies – Greek poleis, the Greco-barbarian Bosporan Kingdom, and nomadic and sedentary societies that depended to varying degrees on state structures. It is with these considerations in mind that we will focus on the practice of using decorated swords in the burial tradition of this region.