Scythian plaque of a deity from Deyev Barrow 350-325 BCE
The Hermitage website lists this as a probably female deity, such as Tabiti, but the hair made me think solar deity, possibly Goetosyrus (Scythian Apollo). Though, I really don't know the qualifications for how Herodotus equated Scythian Apollo with the Greek Apollo. As Apollo is associated with a variety of things in the ancient Greek view; music, the sun, archery, plague, prophecy. The Scythians were primarily archers yet Herodotus implies they paid more homage to Ares. It is certainly possible Scythian Hestia oversaw the sun, being the supreme Scythian deity and associated with flame. Just some thoughts.
From the Hermitage: "With its flame-shaped hairstyle, this female head probably represents a female deity. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, during the 5th century BC (and probably later) the Scythians worshipped three Goddesses, Tabithi (the Greek Goddess Hestia), Api (Gaea) and Argimpasa (Aphrodite Urania). The representation of the three of them is well-known in Scytho-Greek iconography. Sometimes purely Greek images for instance that of the Gorgon Medusa were used to embody the Scythian religious system. They were in conformity with the barbarian perceptions and merged with the images of Scythian deities (in particular, Api or Argimpasa were identified with the Serpent-Legged Goddess, the ancestress of the Scythians). The popularity of the Gorgon Medusa depictions is explained by their common use as apotropaions (amulets). The plaques found in the Deyev Barrow most likely show the Scythian Goddess Tabithi, although they use some iconographical features of the Gorgon Medusa. The excavations of this barrow started in 1891. In 1896, when the excavation work had not been completed, the peasants discovered an intact burial remarkable for its riches. The objects from that grave came to the Hermitage via the Imperial Archaeological Commission."
-taken from Hermitage Museum
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| Scythian plaque from Deyev Barrow 350-325 BCE. Diameter: 2.3cm. Pierced with holes so it could be sewn onto fabric. Hermitage Museum. |
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