The steppes of central Asia in ancient times provided a vast belt of grazing land for tribes of nomadic herdsmen known as the Scythians. They were highly a mobile people who lived according to the rhythm of the season, following the wanderings of their sheep, goats, horses, cattle and yaks.

What is known of the nomads survives in graves and from ancient texts from the settled civilizations. Notorious among ancient people for their cruelty, the Scythians blinded their slaves and drank from skull cups.

Scythian tombs reveal stone oil lamps to light their log huts. Earthenware bottles found by investigators still had fermented mare's milk and a piece of cheese. Hemp seed and devices for smoking hashish were also found.

Researchers believe that these savage folk, the Scythians led by Attila the Hun, charged onto the world stage in the 4th century AD, with refugee peoples flooding before them.