There is always a powerful story standing behind each archaeological object, and in the history of Ukrainian archaeology, it is one of the most famous finds — the Scythian Pectoral— that is described as “a symphony and a story in gold telling many things about the life and world of the ancient Scythians.” The Pectoral was discovered by Ukrainian archaeologist and poet Boris Mozolevsky (1936—1993) inside the burial mound of a Scythian king in the Ukrainian steppe of the Dnipropetrovsk region in 1971. The crescent-shaped golden Pectoral is 30.6 cm in diameter and it weighs 1150 grams. Its historical and artistic value, however, is immeasurably greater than its weight in gold.
The Scythians were known as nomadic tribes in the steppes of the Black Sea dating back to the sixth century BCE. These ancient nomads valued Greek craftsmanship, and actively traded with the Greek citizens who lived in their “city-states” situated along the shores of the Black Sea, of the present-day Crimean peninsula. The Scythians were famous for highly- skilled goldsmiths, especially within the context of Animal style art. The Animal style is found almost exclusively on small objects, mainly bronze or gold and often decorated with colored glass paste to be fastened to clothes, armor, chariots and horse gear. There were preeminently images of wild animals, such as deer, wolves, felines and even imaginary creatures, rather than those bred by these nomadic tribes. Intended for the ruling families and probably some of the most prominent mounted warriors, Animal style art was essentially aristocratic and had a meaning far beyond mere adornment, like it is evident in the Scythian Pectoral, for it was made to be worn on the chest not only for decorative effects but also for protective purposes.
Of a particular interest in relation to the Pectoral is the description given by Greek historian Herodotus (484–ca.430–420 BCE) who in the mid-fifth century BCE travelled to the northern shores of the Black Sea. In “The Histories, IV,” ca. 440 BCE, Herodotus wrote that, admittedly, the nomadic Scythians had “managed one thing, and that the most important in human affairs, better than anyone else on the face of the earth: … no one who invades their country can escape destruction, and if they wish to avoid engaging with an enemy, that enemy cannot by any possibility come to grips with them.” When the Persian King Darius brought in 512 BCE a mighty army in hopes of conquering the rich land of the Scythians, these nomads lured the king into the depth of their territory, while retreating and destroying all the crops and sources of water. Then at the most unexpected moment, they struck back, thus forcing Darius to flee the Scythian land and leave his army behind to perish. It is therefore no wonder that the Scythians had long been considered “noble savages,” fierce yet uncorrupted by civilization, rather symbolizing the innate goodness of humanity. The Pectoral never fails to be highly regarded not only for its artistic perfection but also for the evocative story it tells.—Diana Guber, “A Story in Gold of the Ukrainian Steppes,” 2016.