The Eurasian Steppe

Written for a general audience, Ball’s book nevertheless synthesises the latest archaeological research and historical debate on the steppe’s ancient and modern peoples, archaeological research on the steppe’s history, delving back into the deepest mists of time. The burgeoning community of esoteric archaeology and anthropology posters on Twitter will surely appreciate his summarising of the latest research on the origins of the Indo-Europeans, the fate of the Khazars and the birth and decline of the great Scythian kingdoms. -- Aris Roussinos * UnHerd *
Overall, The Eurasian Steppe: People, Movement, Ideas is a well-written and well-researched work on a vast topic. Its extended discussions on topics that have received less attention in other works in the field provide a unique and valuable contribution to our understanding of the history and impact of the Eurasian steppe. -- Ayse Dietrich & Richard Dietrich * International Journal of Russian Studies *
Of the many books on the Eurasian steppe written recently by historians and archaeologists, this is one of the most accessible, while remaining vast in its scope and detail. [...] It goes without saying that the book is well researched and represents a broad synthetic history of a vast geographical region by a person who wears his immense scholarship and erudition lightly. This is a book that is suitable for a popular audience as well as specialists. -- Claudia Chang, Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, New York University * BSOAS *
Ranging over territory from today’s Russia and Turkey to India and China, Ball charts the many waves of nomads who emerged from the Central Asian steppe. He explores such mysteries as the origins of the Indo-Europeans and the surprising role played by women … his answers may lead you to question what you thought you knew about past and present nationalist identities. -- Diana Darke, Author of Stealing from the Saracens: How Islamic Architecture Shaped Europe * TLS Arts & books roundups: Summer books 2021 *
[A] much-needed holistic overview that gives credit to a vibrant cultural phenomenon. -- Eugenia Ellanskaya * Minerva Magazine / ThePast.com *
This book is a major contribution to the rapidly emerging literature on the early origins of European culture against the wider backdrop of developments in the other empires and cultures that border the steppe. -- Nick Fielding * European History Quarterly *
In clear and lively prose, this grand synopsis draws together the archaeological discoveries of recent decades, and the debates they have prompted. Through astute attention to the politics of the past, it demonstrates why the Eurasian steppe was — and remains — a quintessentially world historical space. -- Nile Green, UCLA
Well-written with a clear understanding of how life on the steppe works. -- Peter B. Golden * Amazon, Rutgers University *
The author’s distinct perspective comes through mainly in his choice of what material to include (in this case, that which is deemed relevant to Europe), but he does occasionally venture some thought-provoking opinions. -- Richard Foltz * Caucasus Survey *
In a masterful journey through time and space, Warwick Ball combines the unique aspects of Eurasian steppe nomadic culture, history and economics over six and a half millennia to produce a rich and complex tapestry focusing on peoples that are too often overlooked despite their impact on world history. -- Thomas J. Barfield, Boston University
The Eurasian Steppe, by archaeologist and historian Warwick Ball, is a tour de force—and a magnificently illustrated one too—that takes us through the last few thousand years in the steppe that stretches from Mongolia to the Black Sea. Some of his histories are of almost forgotten peoples—Scythians, Sarmatians, Khazars—but the book frequently jolts you with its contemporary relevance, when he writes about Russians’ Eurasian heritage or the importance of Ukrainian grain for world markets. -- Tom de Waal * Carnegie Europe *