Ca. 600–400 BC. Scythian. A beautiful gold and rock crystal amulet in the shape of a tube with ribbed gold ends and a ribbed central section; attached are three small hoops for the fastening of the necklace. Good condition. The Scythians were nomadic people, originally of Iranian stock, known from as early as the 9th century BC, who migrated westward from Central Asia to southern Russia and Ukraine in the 8th and 7th centuries BCE. The Scythians founded a rich, powerful empire centred on what is now Crimea. Excavations throughout Central Asia and elsewhere have uncovered thousands of gold objects, as well as bronze, iron, silver, and electrum artefacts. These objects demonstrate Scythian knowledge and mastery of metal casting, plastic shaping, joining, decorative, and finishing techniques. To find out more about the Scythians and their art production, see Meyer, H. (2013). Greco-Scythian art and the birth of Eurasia: From classical antiquity to Russian modernity. Oxford: Oxford University Press.SIze: L: Set of 2: 35mm / W:45mm; 37gProvenance: Property of a European gentleman, formerly acquired on the UK Art Market in the 1990s.