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THE WARRIORS’ EQUIPMENT DIDN’T ONLY CONSIST OF THE OFFENSIVE WEAPONS LISTED ABOVE. THEY STROVE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM ENEMY BLOWS AND STABS AS WELL. A SPECIALLY FORMED PROTECTIVE GARMENT AND A SHIELD PLAYED THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ROLES IN THEIR PROTECTION. First, let’s take a look at the garment. As we can see in many contemporary images, the Scythians of Pontus, that is the inhabitants of the western, Inner-Asian steppes, as well as the Medes, wore baggy trousers that could be gathered up into pleats. Their body was covered by a…

THE SKILL OF BATTLING ON HORSEBACK REQUIRED CONSTANT PRACTICE. ONLY THOSE WHO HAD ACQUIRED THEIR RIDING SKILLS AS A CHILD, AND HAD SPENT MOST OF THEIR LIVES ON HORSEBACK, COULD REMAIN IN THE SADDLE TIRELESSLY, FOLLOWING TRACKLESS PATHS FOR HOURS AND HOURS, AND ONLY THOSE WITH EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WERE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR HORSES UNDER CONTROL IN TAUTSITUATIONS. THEREFORE THE USE OF WEAPONS ON HORSEBACK, ESPECIALLY DRAWING THE ARROW AND TAKING AIM, DEMANDED CONTINUOUS PRACTISE. Chinese historians recorded that the Hun used to teach their children how to ride on…

WARRIORS AND HUNTERS CARRIED THEIR MOST DEVELOPED WEAPON, THE MANCHURIAN-TYPE BOW, BRACED, JUST AS THEY DID WITH ITS PREDECESSORS, THE MONGOLIAN, THE HUNGARIAN, AND THE SCYTHIAN BOWS. AFTER USAGE THEY WOULD UNSTRUNG THE BOW AND SLID IT INTO A LEATHER COVER/SACK LIKE THE PROTECTING SACK OF AN UMBRELLA. To be able to maintain and restore the “reflexive” curvature of the bow, they used a wooden rack, or stand, specifically developed for this: here, the bow rested when it wasn’t in use. When they wanted to use it, they would have…

THE YEARLY WARGAMES AND THE CULTIC, NATIONAL HUNTS OR WARGAMES AND CHASES PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN MAINTAINING THE HUNTERS’ BATTLE SKILLS. THE KITAJ HUNTS OPENED WITH A SPECIFIC CEREMONY, A PRAYER ADDRESSED TO THE GREAT SUN GOD. The territory selected for the ritual games had already been marked out the day before the event. After the prayer, the huntsmen were divided into two groups. At certain points in the hunts, there were ritual libations. The manoeuvres and exercises carried out in files were conducted by commanders.  Since the hunts…