04-04-2011, 02:23 PM
Quote:In D'Amato's Arms & Armour of the Imperial Roman soldier there is an illustration of a Sarmatian auxiliary where his face is painted red and black, and he has red tattoos - I know there is textual references to Sarmatian facial tattooing, but what about the red face paint? Is that based on any sound evidence?
Hello Christian,
My specific knowledge of the Sarmatian I, and II phases is limited. This is the western group extending from the Scythian culture. I concentrate on Phase III Sarmatians, the eastern culture that finally arrived in the west. This is the Saka/Massagetae/Alanic culture that contains individuals with both Europoid and Asiatic facial features.
The latter group came from the earlier Andronovo and Altai cultures. In the Altai, males have been found heavily tattooed-- parts of the face, sometimes the entire arms and lower legs. However, the tattooing dye appears to be charcoal pricked into the skin with a needle. Therefore, it's black, not red. It sounds like the D'Amato book took a little bit of artistic license. :grin:
Interestingly, one king or high chieftain who had Asiatic features was buried with a full prosthetic beard, evidently because his physiology couldn't grow one. Facial hair, and probably tattoos, were evidently a sign of manliness. In the cross-influences between early Chinese-Saka contact, two early Emperors in the Zhou Dynasty where known for their excessive hairiness, indicating they may have been of Europoid/Saka extraction. I have heard and read that tattoos were worn by western Sarmatians and the Huns, but my personal studies are too limited to verify such statements.:roll:
As for red paint. I thought that was done by Native Americans.
Alan J. Campbell
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb