structural:expansion, structural:reformatting
Pastoralism

Thanks to the propitious climate then prevailing to the north of the Black Sea, grass grew abundantly on the treeless steppe, which permitted the nomadic Scythians to rear large herds of cattle and horses.

The society of the Scythians was therefore highly based on nomadic pastoralism, which was practised by both the sedendary and nomadic Scythian tribes, with their herds being made up of about 40% horses, 40% cattle, and 18% sheep, but no pigs, which the Scythians refused to keep in their lands.

Horse rearing was especially an important part of Scythian life, not only because the Scythians rode them, but also because horses were a source of food.

The strong reliance of the Scythians on pastoralism itself ensured the self-sufficiency of the Scythians, and was conducive towards the nomadic lifestyle. This importance of pastoralism for the Scythians is visible in how representations of pastoral activities formed the predominant theme of Scythian petroglyphic art.

Scythian women tended the herds while men were engaged in fighting.

Hunting among the Scythians was primarily done for sport and entertainment rather than for procuring meat, although it was occasionally also carried out for food.