The evolution of Cimmerian bouterolles in the Scythian era (10th–3rd century BC)

This article continues the examination of eastern European chapes ( bouterolles ), uniting the artefacts of the Cimmerian and Scythian eras into a single discussion. This continuation provides a new perspective on previously known finds, claiming that Scythian bouterolles descended from Cimmerian ones. Among the five known types of Scythian chapes, at least three seem to have a Cimmerian origin; the fourth type appears to have developed from a Scythian tradition, and the fifth type is too difficult to determine, because of the small number of finds. The chronology of the chapes found at archaeological sites suggests that the evolution of Scythian bouterolles was fast, and the early and later variants and types seem to have co-existed. This study covers finds from Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Russia, and the Middle East. New and previously published bouterolles are included and a suggested scheme of typological development from Cimmerian to Scythian eras is provided.