Update on 1st Century Sarmatian Weapons

[Alanus]

To those of us interested in Sarmatian kits,

I have reviewed Aleksandr Simonenko's Sarmatian Riders of the North Pontic Region (2009), and found it very helpful. It also challenges some long-held presumtions in the use and origin of Sarmatian weapons. My interest lies in 1st century arms, especially the bows and swords. These weapons arrived with the Roxalani/Sirikes/Aorsi/Wusun-Alans, the last stage of Sarmatian culture from the East, a society that had a high incidence of Asiatic physical traits, about 30% of the women in particular.

Simonenko confirms the earlier statements of Treister when he discusses the early Alanic/Wusun swords, the same swords described by Tacitus: The Type 1 Sarmatian sword is found in North Pontic graves dating from the 1st century to the late 2nd century. Type 1 swords were up to 100 cm (41 inches) long, and were made in China... or developed from Chinese models. My own studies show these swords arose in the late Warring States period, the Chin Dynasty, and continued into the Han Dynasty untill the 3rd century. Here are illustrations from Simonenko:

[attachment=6423]SarmatianWeaponsSimonenko045.JPG[/attachment]

[attachment=6424]SarmatianWeaponsSimonenko048.JPG[/attachment]


These are the same swords we see on the Orlat Battle Placque, dated to 1st century BC to 1st century AD. This also falls in line with the simultaneous migration of the Alans/Wusun and Xiong-nu/Huns from southern steppes of the Illi Valley/Ferghana to the Pontic region. Also, the bows found on the Orlat placque are exactly the same as arriving in the Pontic region. From Simonenko: "The earliest finds of parts of the so-called 'Hunnic' bows in Sarmatian graves are dated to the second half of the 1st century AD. Besides Porohi, the plates (syahs) were found in the Ust-Labinskaia and the Suslovsky cemetary." Most interesting-- a number of thumb rings have also been found, indicating the style of bowmanship. Also here is an illustration from one of the belt plates found with the Orlat placque; and it shows the upper section of the bow tipped foreward, which is correct form (from my own experience);
[attachment=6425]SarmatianWeaponsSimonenko034.JPG[/attachment]

[attachment=6426]SarmatianWeaponsSimonenko006.JPG[/attachment]

Simonenko also discusses the fallacies we believe today when it comes to the actual use of the contus. It was not always used two-handed. When used on the horse's right side, a direct attack, the contus was held by the right hand while the reins were held in the left hand.

[attachment=6427]SarmatianWeaponsSimonenko021.JPG[/attachment]

This illustration comes directly from the Orlat placque, which is the most technically accurate depiction surviving from steppe antiquity. Well, maybe no-one cares, but I thought I'd post this stuff anyway. :-)