Saka
Sign in to savethumb|200px|Cataphract-style parade-armour of a Saka royal, also known as "The Golden Warrior", from the [[Issyk kurgan, a historical burial site near Almaty, Kazakhstan, 400–200 BC.]]
AI overview
The Saka were an ancient nomadic people who lived in Central Asia during the Iron Age, known for their skilled horsemanship and distinctive gold craftsmanship, as evidenced by elaborate armor and burial practices discovered in archaeological sites like the Issyk kurgan in Kazakhstan. They matter historically because they represent an important nomadic culture that shaped the early history and trade networks of Central Asia around 2,000 years ago.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Archaeological culture.name
- Sakas
- Archaeological culture.region
- Central Asia, South Siberia, South Asia
- Archaeological culture.dates
- 9th century BC to 5th century AD
- Archaeological culture.precededby
- Andronovo culture, Seima-Turbino phenomenon, Karakol culture, Karasuk culture, Deer stones culture
- Archaeological culture.followedby
- Xiongnu, Kushan Empire, Gupta Empire
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
43 sectionsContents
- Name
- Etymology
- Identification
- Modern terminology
- Location
- History
- Origins
- Early history
- Kingdoms in the Tarim Basin
- Kingdom of Khotan
- Shule Kingdom
- Southern migrations
- Indo-Scythians
- Historiography
- Strabo
- Indian sources
- Language
- Genetics
- Haplogroups
- Autosomal DNA
- East–West migrations and cultural transmission
- Archaeology
- Arzhan 1 kurgan ({{circa|800 BC}})
- Shilikty/ Baigetobe kurgan ({{circa|700 BC}})
- Arzhan 2 ({{circa|650 BC}})
- Eleke Sazy Burial Complex ({{circa|800-400 BC}})
- Berel burial mound ({{circa|350–300 BC}})
- Pazyryk culture ({{circa|300 BC}})
- Southern Siberian kurgans excavated in the 18th century
- Tillia Tepe treasure (2nd-1st century BC)
- Culture
- Gender roles
- Art
- Clothing
- Tattoos
- Warfare
- Later depictions of "Sakas" in China (1st–3rd century AD)
- See also
- References
- Explanatory notes
- Citations
- Bibliography
- External links
thumb|200px|Cataphract-style parade-armour of a Saka royal, also known as "The Golden Warrior", from the [[Issyk kurgan, a historical burial site near Almaty, Kazakhstan, 400–200 BC.]]
The Saka were a group of nomadic Eastern Iranian peoples who lived in the Eurasian Steppe and the Tarim Basin from the 9th century BC to the 5th century AD. The Saka were closely related to the Scythians, and both groups formed parts of the wider Scythian cultures. However, both groups have differing specific geographical and cultural traits. The Saka languages formed part of the Scythian phylum, a branch of the Eastern Iranian languages.