The Real Amazons: Ancient Scythian Warrior Women

Ancient Greek Attic white-ground alabastron, c. 470 BC, British Museum, London.

National Geographic interviews Adrienne Mayor, author of the new book The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women across the Ancient World.

Mayor claims that the Greek legends of the Amazons are based on their contact with Scythian warrior women, whose existence has been confirmed by modern archaeology. The Scythians had both male and female warriors, unlike the legendary Amazons, who were a tribe in which only the women fought.

In the above ancient Greek alabastron, an Amazon is depicted wearing the trousers and patterned cloth characteristic of the ancient Scythian people.