Are the Scots Descendants of the Ancient Scythians of Eurasia?

Celtic Origins: Are the Scots Descendants of the Ancient Scythians? #CelticHistory

In the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath, which was a letter signed by almost 50 earls and barons of Scotland and sent to the Pope, asking him to recognise Scotland’s independence and Robert the Bruce as King, there is a curious reference to “greater Scythia.” The declaration states that the Scots “journeyed from Greater Scythia by way of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Pillars of Hercules, and dwelt for a long course of time in Spain… Thence it came, twelve hundred years after the people of Israel crossed the Red Sea, to its home in the west where it still lives today.” Yet can we give any credence to this origin story of the Scots? Scythia, or Greater Scythia, after all, referred to a region and the people of a region that was in central Asia, corresponding to the area around the Black Sea, Ukraine and the vast lands of Southern Russia.

Known largely as being a collection of nomadic tribes, which were fierce warriors, the Scythians built a culture and a region of influence that was prominent between 900BC and 200BC, and stretched from the Black Sea to China. Interestingly, the physical appearance of Scythians was reportedly not to dissimilar from the appearance of Scottish or Celtic people. Some of the Scythian women reportedly had fair hair and blue eyes, whilst some of the men had red hair. Certain sources also suggested that some Scythians had white hair, with these people referred to as Albani (Cowan 1984: 122). It is at least interesting to note that Scotland in Gaelic is called Alba.

Part of the reference to “greater Scythia” in the Declaration seems in part a reference to Saint Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland and one the twelve apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Andrew is thought to have preached in Scythia, and there is an argument that he was martyred in Scythia…

Sources:
Cowan, E. (2008) For Freedom Alone: The Declaration of Arbroath, 1320 (Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited).
Cowan, E. (1984). Myth and Identity in Early Medieval Scotland. The Scottish Historical Review, 63(176), 111-135.

Creative Commons Imagery:

[exucaviera]

The Scythians were an Aryan race closely related to the Tocharians. The Tamrin mummies found in China are believed to be Tocharian. They were a tall red and blonde haired people. Red hair seems to be distributed along with the R1b y-dna haplogroup. The highest frequency of red hair and R1b outside of Europe is the Russian ethnic group called the Udmurts.

[farsamfarhadi-swql]

Scythian was iranic peaple with iranic language. Love from pasargad for our scotish bros and sisters.❤️

[barbarossa]

Herodotus says the Scythians own name for themselves was *"Scoloti".*

[vincemajestic]

True Fact ... The entire Balkans were heavily populated by Celts,
Mødern Balkan people carry varying degrees of Celtic DNA, with Serbs having the highest frequency. There is an ancient Celtic fortress smack bang in the middle of Belgrade.

[angel-astanfield]

Funny, I have been listening to traditional Latvian music lately and noticed that they use the same instruments (bagpipes and drums) and honour the same things in nature, such as groves of oak trees, as the Scottish do. My grandmother hails from Faulthouse, Scotland (I’m Canadian), so I began to wonder if there was a link between Latvia and Scotland and they must be descended from the same group of people. Thanks to this popping up on my YouTube out of nowhere, I now see the possible Scythian connection. That explains it. Thank you for your great presentation. 🙏💕

[sweetdreams]

Years ago National Geo magazine came out with an edition on the Scythian treasures uncovered during the time of Peter the Great (singular reign from 1696 to 1725). The workmanship and design of much of the gold is similar to Irish designs seen in their illuminated manuscripts from the early Christian era and designs found on grave goods from the earlier Bronze and Iron ages. The mounds in the region of Russia where the treasures where taken from similar to the mound burials in Britain, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. A unique view of the world and the artwork most defintely influenced the Celtic (Scythian?) tribes from the La Tene era in Switzerland and Austria. The homeland of the elites of the Scythian peoples, the royal and warrior tribes (similar to the caste system in India of ancient times where the Kings came from the warrior class) was in the present day Ukraine according to several ancient Greek historians and the records of Alexander the Great's conquests. There they controlled sea trade and the best grazing lands. The early cycles of mythology that chronicle the Ulster cycle mention chariots and war outfittings much like those used in those regions and uncovered in the burials. Warlords in northern Ireland claimed ancestry to the tribes of Scotland and they regularly fought beside each other in loose alliances. Finally, the mention of the love of law by the Scythians from Alexander's time clearly shows a correlation between the peoples of Scythia and the 'Scots' - an ancient term for Ireland and that region of Scotland - where Brehon law prevailed. There is much truth in story now being proven by DNA research.

[yousafdaudzai]

Maybe because I am a Pashtun and I also got 15% Scottish, Irish and welish. About whole Pashtuns have Scottish Irsih and Welish DNA in their DNA Heritage test results
Note: Pashtuns are the Decendants of Schythian tribe

[SH-fzdy]

It says so in the Declaration of Arbroath 1311.

[kmshallaed]

Such good presentation; I could listen to you for hours on this fascinating subject.

[stephanosnormandusdelacroi]

I know who my brothers are our tongues may be confounded but our appearance never is. There's a war coming no more brother wars unity is strength.

[rorythompson]

Oh my god, my ears feel like they've been dragged down a dirty pub laiden, spittle covered, london alley.

[bacobill]

I believe that the redheaded Yamnaya (3, 300-2, 600 BC) from north of the Black Sea became the Sythians.. Thank you for your work.

[tommyblansett]

St. Andrew has been the patron saint of Scotland has been honored in Scotland for over a thousand years.

[tommyblansett]

I love particularly the last part "not knowing where myth ends and history begins. If you are familiar with the Irish historical myth of the "bagmen, " you have notice the similarity of their travels and the travels of Herakles (Hercules), Ulysses in Homer's Odyssey and both Aeneus and Diomedes in Virg's Aeneid. Not saying there is any connection it is interesting especially since the Etruscans believe, or so I read, they has also travel from what now is Asia Minor.

[TheOsmanly]

Scytians were Euro-Asians but they were Not ASIANS but Blond and red haired blue-eyed people.Some how i am related to them and it is a great honor.

[FairnessFobe]

Once again more questions, or puzzles?
Thank you for this video, thank you for your research & your generosity.
You're a born teacher!

[c.odubhlaoich]

Scots are absolutely Scythian descendants. But, so are all Europeans to different degrees. The Scots and Irish and Germans, and possibly others, directly mention their Scythian ancestry though.

[English-Mark]

Do you think there is any relationship to the Hyksos? My family came over from Scotland, England and Saxony. The tradition is that they are highlanders to explain moving into Appalachia but I am sure it is wishful thinking.

[memyselfi]

Scottish men belong to haplogroup R1b with some I mixed in thanks too the Vikings. Russians mostly belong to R1a with some I (Rus Vikings) and N (Uralic) mixed in. R1b and R1a separated (at least) 15, 000 years ago.
So your answer is a confident NO. Scots DO NOT directly descend from Russians.
👍

[John_Pace]

With the treachery of Scone, it reminds me of the story how Hengist and Horsa of the Saxons murdered the British nobility under Vortigern during a feast by hiding their daggers in their shoes.