Scythians

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/scythians

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the cultural group?Confederation of nomadic Iranian-speaking peoples
2. What is the dominant period?Approximately 9th to 2nd centuries BCE
3. Who were the Scythians?They were a group of nomadic peoples from the Eurasian Steppe who lived from the 9th to the 2nd centuries BCE. They spoke an Iranian language and were famous for riding horses and making beautiful gold art.
4. Why were the Scythians called super-riders?They were experts on horses, especially when using bows from horseback. This made them fast, strong warriors who could travel quickly across the steppe.

Eurasian Steppe: A vast, arid grassland biome spanning much of Eurasia, crucial for nomadic cultures.
Nomadic: A lifestyle characterized by continuous movement, typically following herds or seasonal resources.
Kurgan: An ancient burial mound, a common feature of Scythian and other steppe cultures.
Animal Style: A distinctive artistic tradition prevalent among Eurasian nomadic peoples, focusing on animal motifs.