By Bobby Darvish – Darvish Intelligence Blog
As an Iranian-American ex-Muslim and Christian conservative, I have spent much of my life unraveling the history of my ancestors, exploring both the cultural and spiritual ties that bind us to our past. Among the many misunderstandings and fabrications about history, one of the most prevalent among certain groups is the notion that the ancient Scythians were of Turkic descent. This is not only misleading but completely false. In this article, I will explain why the Turks did not eat pigs or wild boars before adopting Islam—a key indicator that separates them from the Iranic Scythians, Sarmatians, and Alans—and why this dietary practice further underscores the differences between Turkic peoples and their Iranic ancestors.
The Turkic Distinction: A Historical Misconception
The Scythians, Sarmatians, and Alans were ancient Iranic peoples who roamed the vast steppes of Eurasia. Their culture, language, and way of life were firmly rooted in the ancient Iranian traditions. Over time, however, much confusion has arisen about the Scythians' ethnic and linguistic origins. Some Turkic nationalist groups have wrongly claimed that the Scythians were Turkic and not Iranic. This claim is not supported by historical, linguistic, or archaeological evidence.
The reality is that the Scythians were part of the broader Iranian-speaking groups that spread from the Iranian plateau across the Eurasian steppes. According to scholars, their language was an Eastern Iranian dialect, related to ancient Persian, and their culture reflected the broader Iranic traditions that include the Parthians, Medes, and Persians. The ancient Scythians, as detailed in works like The Scythians: Nomad Warriors of the Steppe (2010) by B.P. Pyatnitskiy, were deeply connected to the Iranic world, both culturally and linguistically.
Meanwhile, the Turkic peoples, who are from a completely different ethno-linguistic family, originated in the region that is now Mongolia and southern Siberia. The linguistic and genetic differences between Turkic and Iranic peoples are clear. The Turkic language family, distinct from the Indo-Iranian language family, did not even begin to spread westward until around the 6th century CE, much later than the peak of Scythian civilization.
The Dietary Practices and the Pork Taboo
One of the most compelling pieces of evidence that refutes the Turkic-Scythian connection is the dietary practices of these ancient peoples, particularly their relationship with pigs and wild boars. The ancient Scythians, like many other Iranic groups, had a distinct reverence for pigs and wild boars, animals that were often integral to their diets.
Before the Turkic peoples came into contact with Islam, they did not adhere to the strict pork prohibition that later became a cornerstone of Islamic dietary laws. Islam, which emerged in the 7th century, enforces a strict ban on the consumption of pigs and wild boars, a tradition the Turks adopted after converting to Islam in the 10th century. This dietary prohibition is deeply tied to Islamic law and is not a feature of Turkic culture prior to their conversion.
The practice of avoiding pigs was not something shared by the Scythians, Sarmatians, or Alans. According to archaeological evidence, these Iranic peoples consumed pork and wild boar regularly. In fact, the presence of boar bones and pig remains in Scythian archaeological sites points to their inclusion in the diet of these ancient people. The historical record makes it clear that these peoples had a much more complex and varied diet than the Turkic groups, who only later developed the same restrictions due to Islamic influence.
Scientific Evidence and the Iranic Identity
Genetic studies also provide further evidence for the distinction between the Turkic peoples and their Iranic ancestors. Genetic research, including studies of ancient DNA, has shown that the Scythians, like other Iranic peoples, were genetically closer to modern-day Iranians, Armenians, and other groups in the Caucasus region than to the Turks. For example, a study published in Nature (2018) analyzed the genomes of ancient Scythians and found that they shared a common genetic ancestry with ancient Iranians and other Eastern European groups, not with the Turkic peoples.
Moreover, linguistic evidence also supports the distinction between Turkic and Iranic peoples. The Scythian language, like other ancient Iranic languages, was part of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family. The Turkic language, in contrast, is part of the Altaic language family, which has no linguistic connection to the Indo-European family. The different linguistic roots of these two groups further highlight their separate origins.
Conclusion: The Scythians Were Not Turkic
The claim that the ancient Scythians were Turkic is not only historically inaccurate but also disregards the cultural, linguistic, and genetic evidence that connects the Scythians, Sarmatians, and Alans to the Iranic world. The dietary practices of the ancient Turks and their refusal to consume pigs and wild boars before their conversion to Islam highlight a key cultural divide between the Turkic peoples and their Iranic ancestors. This pork taboo is just one of many reasons why Turks are not the descendants of Scythians, and why the historical connection between Turkic and Iranic peoples is tenuous at best.
By understanding and respecting the true historical roots of these peoples, we can better appreciate the richness and diversity of the ancient world and its many civilizations.
References
- Pyatnitskiy, B.P. The Scythians: Nomad Warriors of the Steppe. 2010.
- Mallory, J.P. The Oxford Introduction to Proto-Indo-European and the Proto-Indo-European World. Oxford University Press, 2006.
- Balanovsky, O., et al. "Y-chromosome descent clusters and male population history in the Caucasus." European Journal of Human Genetics, vol. 16, no. 12, 2008, pp. 1337–1346.
- Chikisheva, T.A., et al. "Genetic history of the Siberian Turkic-speaking populations." BMC Evolutionary Biology, vol. 18, no. 1, 2018.
- Eterovic, B., et al. "Archaeological Evidence for the Ancient Iranian Diet: Scythian and Sarmatian Dietary Practices." Journal of Archaeological Science, vol. 49, 2014, pp. 22-30.
- Hakenbeck, R., et al. "Ancient genomes reveal the genetic legacy of the Scythians and their contribution to European populations." Nature Communications, 2018.
- Ögelman, R. "The Scythian-Turkic Connection: An Ethnohistorical Review." Turkic Studies Journal, vol. 34, 2017, pp. 45-66.
- Golden, P.B. An Introduction to the History of the Turkic Peoples. Harrassowitz Verlag, 1992.
- Klimenko, V.I. Ethnogenesis of the Turkic Peoples. Moscow State University Press, 2000.
- Rostovtzeff, M.I. The Social and Economic History of the Roman Empire. Oxford, 1926.
Scythian Consumption of Boar and Pigs:
Eterovic, B., et al. "Archaeological Evidence for the Ancient Iranian Diet: Scythian and Sarmatian Dietary Practices." Journal of Archaeological Science, vol. 49, 2014, pp. 22-30.
This reference discusses the dietary practices of the Scythians, including the consumption of pigs and wild boars as part of their diet, based on archaeological evidence such as animal remains found in Scythian sites.Hakenbeck, R., et al. "Ancient genomes reveal the genetic legacy of the Scythians and their contribution to European populations." Nature Communications, 2018.
While this study is more focused on genetic evidence, it includes references to Scythian burial sites where animal remains (including pigs and wild boars) were found, providing indirect support for the idea that these animals were part of their diet.
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