ИЗВЕСТИЯ СОИГСИ

The article analyzes the ways Scythians used various alcoholic beverages. The data found in the sources enables to assume that Scythians manufactured special beverage like koumiss. Written and archaeological sources indicate that wine consumption was widespread among Scythians. Scythians bought it from Greeks. Scythians themselves were not engaged in grapes growing (viticulture) and wine-making. The analysis conducted allows the author to contest the conclusions of some researchers on beer brewing by the Scythians. Archaeological sources give reason to believe that beer brewing using hops could have been mastered by Alans of the North Caucasus by the very period when similar beer appeared in Western Europe. However, according to the author, the origin of Scythian and Alanic traditions to use alcoholic beverages goes farther and was associated with other sacred drinks, represented by soma of Indo-Aryans and haoma of Iranians.

Keywords: Scythians, alcoholic beverages, archaeological data, written evidence, Alans, Ossetians.

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