The brutality of the Huns followed the tradition of the earlier Scythians. Several centuries earlier, the Greek historian Herodotus (c. 485-430 B.C.) wrote that the Scythians sometimes beheaded their enemies and made the skulls into drinking cups by binding the outside with leather and gilding the interior with gold. They also made coats, capes, and cushions out of their victim’s skins, he said, explaining, “The Scythian soldier scrapes the scalp clean of flesh and, softening it by rubbing it between the hands uses it thenceforth as a napkin. The Scyth is proud of these scalps and hangs them from his bridle rein; the greater the number of such napkins that a man can show, the more highly is he esteemed among them. Many make themselves cloaks by sewing a number of these scalps together.
Herodotus went on to say that they drank the blood of the first enemy they killed and mixed it with wine when making toasts to their agreements and alliances. In addition, they’d use the bloody wine to dip their arrows, swords, and javelins in. They considered it a terrible disgrace if, when the tribes gathered each year, they hadn’t killed someone since their last meeting. They also went in for human sacrifices.
Author’s Note:
It should be noted that Herodotus was biased against the Scythians.
Source:
Stephens, John Richard. “Eyewitness Reports.” Weird History 101: Tales of Intrigue, Mayhem, and Outrageous Behavior. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2006. 11. Print.
Further Reading:
Σκύθης (Scythians) / Scyth / Saka / Sakae / Sacae / Sai / Iskuzai / Askuzai
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