Праща на вооружении скифских воительниц
Sling in the Armament of Scythian female warriors

Summary/Abstract: The article deals with one of the types of hand-held throwing weapons – the sling. Such weapons were used not only for hunting, but also in battles. Many peoples on different continents used it for a long time; from the end of the Palaeolithic until the 17th century. Judging by the archaeological data, the Scythian female warriors also used the sling. Throwing projectiles were discovered in their graves, and just in one case the remains of a leather belt were recorded. Rounded stone projectiles were used exclusively, specimens made of clay or metal are not known up-to-date. Stone projectiles were found in 11,6% of the Scythian Amazons’ graves. Usually, from one to five of such specimens were put in the grave. This weapon required special skills and strength, given the heavy weight of the ammunition. In addition, as the example of other armies shows, the slingers formed separate troops that performed special tactical tasks. Obviously, for the Scythians, such conduct of the battle was unacceptable. This is probably why the sling did not become a popular weapon among the Amazons, who preferred to use a bow with arrows and spears in battles.

• Details
• Contents