The Gold Pectoral of the Scythian Ruler: A Tale of Ancient Majesty and Symbolism

On June 21, 1971, at 2:30 p.m., a moment of discovery transformed the understanding of ancient Scythian art and culture. Borys Mozolevskyi, the head of an archaeological expedition, unearthed a breathtaking treasure in the Central tomb of the Tovsta Mohyla kurgan near Pokrov in the Dnipropetrovsk region. His diary entry captures the intensity of the moment: “I found it just 10 centimeters away from where the robbers had plundered. While clearing the grave shaft, I felt something scratch my finger, and my heart beat faster with excitement.” This remarkable find was the Gold Pectoral of a Scythian ruler, an intricate masterpiece that reveals the essence of Scythian mythology and royal power.

The Scythians, whom the ancient Greeks identified as the nomadic people inhabiting a vast territory of modern Ukraine from the 7th to 4th centuries BCE, held a deep connection to their beliefs and traditions. The pectoral, created by unknown Greek craftsmen around 370–360 BCE, is a testament to the artistry of Greek jewelers who employed a wide range of metalworking techniques to achieve this extraordinary piece.

A Crescent of Life and Death

The pectoral is crescent-shaped, composed of four hollow rods resembling twisted torques, forming three intricate tiers filled with 48 figurines of humans, animals, and mythical creatures. Crafted with astonishing precision using the lost-wax casting technique, each figure is a marvel of detail from the feathers of birds to the fur of animals, and even the expressions on their faces.

The lower tier, an open-work section, depicts scenes of predation and pursuit, embodying the Scythian concept of death. Central to this tier are three dramatic scenes: griffins attacking horses, a leopard and a lion pouncing on a deer, and a wild boar under siege. At the edges, hares flee from hunting dogs, and grasshoppers eternal symbols of the steppes face one another. This tier visualizes the triumph of death, gradually retreating with each scene, symbolizing the cycle of life and death where each victory of death is momentary, soon to be challenged by life’s persistence.

The Triumph of Life

In stark contrast, the upper tier celebrates life’s victories. At the center, two men, stripped to the waist, sew ritual garments from sheepskin. Nearby, cases for bows and arrows, or gorytoi, are adorned with miniature images of a hero battling a monster. The scene is brimming with vitality: mares and cows nurse their young, a boy milks a sheep, and another youth tends to a wine amphora. The tier captures life in its many forms, depicting growth, nourishment, and the tender cycles of birth and maturation.

The composition culminates with two birds, a duck and a predator, soaring in opposite directions, yet their flight paths seem to converge, symbolizing the unending loop of existence. This convergence of opposing forces life and death reflects the pectoral’s central theme: the eternal cycle of existence.

The Middle Frieze: A Symbolic Divide

Separating these two realms is the middle frieze, adorned with a golden acanthus bush whose spiraling sprouts are embellished with flowers and birds. This fantastical plant symbolizes the world tree, the axis of the universe, and the foundation of all life. This delicate division emphasizes the effort required to maintain the balance between life and death.

Legacy of the Pectoral

Boris Mozolevski with The Scythian Gold Pectoral 

The Gold Pectoral is not merely a stunning artifact; it is a profound symbol of the Scythian worldview. It speaks of the responsibilities of rulers to guide their communities through adversity and to uphold the fragile balance between existence and oblivion. This masterwork of ancient Greek craftsmanship embodies the Scythians’ mythological concepts, their reverence for life, and their acceptance of death, all entwined in an eternal dance of creation and destruction.

As we gaze upon this magnificent relic, we are reminded that the cycle of life and death is not just a Scythian belief but a universal truth, intricately woven into the fabric of human existence. The pectoral remains a powerful testament to the artistry, beliefs, and eternal spirit of a bygone era, capturing the essence of the Scythian ruler’s world in every meticulously crafted detail.