This fascinating book examines the artistic exchange between the nomadic peoples of what is now Inner Mongolia and their settled Chinese neighbors during the first millennium B.C.

THE COPPER AGE STELAE OF THE UKRAINE:IntroductionSimple StelaeStatue-MenhirsAltar SanctuariesThe Creators of the Stelae.IMAGERY AND MYTH:ContextAnatomy and Dress of the Statue-MenhirsAnatomy and MythologyThe Stela as Royal FigureIndo-European Deities?Diffusion?.STELA-OBELISKS OF THE CIMMERIANS:IntroductionSingle-Headed StelaeDeer Stones of the North CaucasusThe Function of the Cimmerian Stelae.STELAE OF THE SCYTHIANS AND SARMATIANS:IntroductionStatue-StelaeSchematic Stelae and Statutory ReliefsThe Georgiyevka Stela. SLAVIC STELAE:The Zbruch IdolThe Sanctuary on Bogt Mountain.STONE 'BABAS? OF THE POLOVTSIANS.ConclusionsAppendix?A Catalogue of Copper Age Stelae.

This book presents 45 papers presented at a major international conference held at the British Museum during the 2017 BP exhibition 'Scythians: warriors of ancient Siberia'. Papers include new archaeological discoveries, results of scientific research and studies of museum collections, most presented in English for the first time.

The themes of the book focus on the origin, development, interactions, and migrations of the Scythians, in Eurasia and their relationships with the environment of 1st millennium BC. Without doubt, the environment played an important role in the life of ancient nomadic populations, forming the basis of their economies and influencing various aspects of their mode of life. The main focus is on the huge landmass of Eurasia where apart from global-scale environmental changes, local environmental change, including the physical landscape of forest, steppe, forest-steppe and so on changed. During the 1st millennium BC, important cultural processes occurred throughout the steppe belt, which eventually resulted in the emergence of "Scythian-type" cultures. The Scythian sites have been investigated since the 18th century, resulting in the discovery of outstanding archaeological assemblages and works of art which are displayed in the best museums of the world. Numerous puzzles relating to the Scythians' origins, interactions, migrations and their detailed chronology are discussed and new data presented.

This volume offers a detailed consideration of the style, technology, and iconographic implications of the art of the Scythians, organized by object typology and chronology, and considered against a broader historical, expressive, and technical background; that of the Scythians' Eurasian sources, of earlier and contemporary West Asian cultures, and of the Hellenic culture which emerged beside that of the Scythians in the northern littoral of the Black Sea.