The Scythians were a nomadic Western Iranian population who inhabited the Central Eurasian Steppe from the 9th century BC up to the 2nd century BC. Amongst the first people to master mounted warfare, they developed archery on horseback. As nomads, they kept herds of horses, sheep and cattle, and lived in tents. Scythians developed a rich culture characterised by opulent tombs, very fine metalwork and a brilliant art style. Several ancient historians speak of them as being ruthless, bloodthirsty people who enjoyed wearing lavish amounts of gold, not only on themselves, but on their horses as well. This gold mount would have been affixed to garments of clothing as decoration, usually in patterns, with multiple mounts on a single item of clothing.
To discover more about Scythian gold, please visit our relevant post: Scythian Gold: The Ziwiye Treasure.