an ancient nomadic people, who inhabited the broad steppes on the north- east of the Caspian Sea, to the northward of the river Araxes or Jaxartes. Herodotus says that they had a community of wives; that they sacrificed and devoured their aged people; that they worshipped the sun, and offered horses to him; that they lived on the milk and flesh of their herds, and on fish; and fought on horseback and on foot with lance, bow, and double- edged axe. Cyrus is said to have lost his life in fighting against them, B.C. 530. Niebuhr and B ckh are of opinion that they belonged to the Mongolian,but Humboldt and others, to the IndoGermanic or Aryan family.