Game of Scythians

The Scythians hung enemies’ scalps from their bridles and used their skulls as drinking cups. Uncertain whether this makes them sufficiently attractive to draw crowds to its next blockbuster exhibition, the British Museum has likened this warlike people to the fictional Dothraki horsemen in Game of Thrones. Like them, Scythians rode masterfully without stirrups. Like them, they excelled in bowmanship. Unlike them, Scythians wore plenty of clothes, wrapping up warm against the sharp winds of the Steppes. Until now, we have heard less about the real Scythians than the unreal Dothraki. They left no writings and only recently has archaeology penetrated the permafrost to unearth their strange manner of life. But it would be nice to think that we could take an interest in them without the bait of a TV fantasy.