The first millennium bc was marked by the appearance in the historical arena of new powerful actors, whose “barbarian” image was associated with constant movement, destruction, and horror. The ancient writers characterized them as extremely militant and victorious. From time to time, their groups emerged on the border of “civilizations” under different names, but always with the same look – armed, mounted warriors symbolizing a new epoch. In a relatively short time, the nomadic people adapted to the vast steppe expanse with its extreme climatic conditions and united different areas – either voluntarily or involuntarily – into one economic and cultural zone that greatly enhanced mutual intercommunication. They created the “barbarian periphery” without which the “civilized” states could no longer exist. The birth of this “Nomadic World” in Eurasia was neither easy nor welcomed, but there was no alternative. Before we discuss the Uralian nomadic cultures, we will pause to review some general points of nomadic studies.

GENERAL ASPECTS OF NOMADIC STUDIES

Ecological and Historical Dimensions of Eurasian Nomadism

Eurasian nomadism has long been the focus of attention for travelers, writers, ethnographers, historians, government officials, and military officers of tsarist Russia. Their numerous descriptions and stories are rich in valuable empirical and statistical material. Gathered from these materials, we can see that the character of extensive stockbreeding remained practically unchanged until the early twentieth century. Environments and biological specifics of bred animals, ways of transmigrations, and the forms of use of natural resources determined this nomadism.