Update on 1st Century Sarmatian Weapons

[Alanus]

This has a parallel i pr-Roman Britain as some scabbards had a centrally mounted belt loop and there are figurines showing back mounted swords... Did the Sarmations have any history of chariots?

back to you, Conal

History's first chariots show up around 2,000 BC at Sintashta, on the northern side of the steppes. It's generally considered the Sintashta culture evolved into the Indo-Europeans, as the Yu-chi, Altic and Tian Shan Saka, and Massagetae, moved south and east. The chariots were abandoned long before the Sarmatians appeared, although they were adopted by the Persians, Greeks, Celts, and Chinese. The Saka became a horse-riding military-based society, and from them descended the Sarmatians and Wusun-Alans.

Certainly looks like back-mounted swords were prevelent across the whole stretch from China to Britain. However, the majority of scabbards with slides appear to be worn from a waist belt. Simonenko shows the setup, and it's exactly as I had rigged mine before discovering the new illustrations. The leather stap passes through the slide around itself, and makes for adjustability. Here are a few photos:


[attachment=6493]akinakesequipmentbelt006-1.jpg[/attachment]


[attachment=6494]wusuncavalrysword006.JPG[/attachment]

This style of attachment allows the sword to hang exactly like those pictured on the Orlat placque, less angled than the way the Chinese wore them. mile: