Scythian Gold Comb from the Solokha Kurgan
A gold comb topped with a battle scene between Scythian warriors, buried in the Solokha kurgan on the Pontic steppe, c. 430–390 BC.
Excavated from the royal Solokha kurgan near the Dnieper River in 1913, this comb is one of the finest surviving examples of Scythian elite goldwork. Its craftsmanship — most likely the work of Greek goldsmiths in the Black Sea colonies working for Scythian patrons — combines Hellenistic technique with distinctly Scythian subject matter: mounted and dismounted warriors locked in combat, rendered with careful anatomical detail down to their horses' harnesses. Kurgans like Solokha preserved such treasures for millennia precisely because Scythian nobles were buried with the wealth and weapons meant to accompany them into the next life. More in our piece on Scythian gold and royal kurgan burials.
Public domain — source (Wikimedia Commons). Free to reuse under the stated licence.
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