Definition: The Cimmerian culture were nomadic horse-riding people of the Russian steppes beginning about 1200 BC. According to Herodotus, they invaded Anatolia during the 7th century BC and controlled the Black Sea area until about 600 BC, when they were in turn invaded by the Scythians. Archaeologically, they've been harder to pin down.
Some scholars believe that the Èernogorovka-Novoèerkassk culture north of the Caucusus and Black Sea matches Cimmerian; others are skeptical whether 'Cimmerian' was a separate definable ethnic group at all.
For those of a frivolous nature, Robert E. Howard chose the Cimmerian culture as the culture group to which his Conan the Barbarian belonged.
Some scholars believe that the Èernogorovka-Novoèerkassk culture north of the Caucusus and Black Sea matches Cimmerian; others are skeptical whether 'Cimmerian' was a separate definable ethnic group at all.
For those of a frivolous nature, Robert E. Howard chose the Cimmerian culture as the culture group to which his Conan the Barbarian belonged.
Sources
Kristensen, Anne Katrine Gade. 1988. Who were the Cimmerians, and where did they come from? Sargon II, the Cimmerians, and Rusa. translated from the Danish by Jorgen Laessoe. 1988. Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, Copenhagen.
Sarbu, Dorin. 2001. A Controversial Archaeological Phenomenon of the Region Between the Danube Mouth and the Volga at the Beginning of the Iron Age. Romanian Journal of Archaeology. Free to read online.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
Also Known As: late Pre-Scythian culture
Alternate Spellings: Gimri (Babylonian), Kimmerioi (Greek)
