Sarmatian scepters may have functioned as portable fire altars

Artifacts long classified by archaeologists as "scepters" or "candelabras" from the Sarmatian period may actually be portable fire altars. Research conducted by Maria Bodrova of the HSE University and the Institute of History and Archaeology of the RAS suggests that the physical design of these objects points to a ritual function centered on fire, rather than a role of social status or domestic utility. The structural evidence challenges the theory that these were walking sticks or symbols of power. Early specimens (1st century BCE – 1st century CE) feature pointed bases, while later versions (1st–3rd centuries CE) include tripods, indicating they were designed to be driven into the ground or set on a surface. The upper sections, consisting of rods adorned with animal figures such as deer, bulls, and goats, served as holders for small amounts of fuel. Some rods show signs of "twisting," a technical detail that increased their thermal resistance during combustion. The evolution of these forms reveals a shift in symbolic priorities. Early finds are dominated by floral motifs and deer, potentially referencing the concept of the World Tree. In later discoveries, such as those from the "Golden Cemetery," plant elements disappear and zoo-morphic imagery shifts toward cattle, suggesting a transformation in religious beliefs or a change in cultural influence.