The square shape of the altar of the Scythian "{{transliteration|grc|Arēs|italics=no}}" represented the four-sided "middle world," that is the air space, and the sword placed at its top represented the world axis which represented the vertical structure of the universe and connected its cosmic, central, and chthonic zones; the altar to the Scythian "{{transliteration|grc|Arēs|italics=no}}" was thus a model of the universe as conceptualised within Scythian cosmology, most and represented especially its central zone, the air space. The tallness of the mound which acted as the altar to the Scythian "{{transliteration|grc|Arēs|italics=no}}," as well as the practice of throwing the right arms of prisoners sacrificed to him in the sky, are evidence of the celestial nature of the Scythian "{{transliteration|grc|Arēs|italics=no}}" as a god of the air space, that is the practice of throwing these sacrificed arms in the air indicate that the Scythian "{{transliteration|grc|Arēs|italics=no}}" was associated to the gods of the sky and wind ([[Vayu-Vata|{{transliteration|ae|Vāta|italics=no}} and {{transliteration|ae|Vaiiu|italics=no}}]]), and more especially the wind, since the wind-god {{transliteration|ae|Vaiiu|italics=no}} was the first incarnation of {{transliteration|ae|Vərᵊϑraγna|italics=no}} and a special carrier of {{transliteration|xsc|fārnā}}/{{transliteration|ae|xᵛarənah}}. This is also recorded in the works of the Greek author [[Lucian|{{transliteration|grc|Loukianos|italics=no}} of {{transliteration|grc|Samosata|italics=no}}]], who recorded that the Scythians worshipped the Wind and the Sword as gods, referring to the dual nature of the Scythian "{{transliteration|grc|Arēs|italics=no}}" as a god of both the Wind, which brings gives life, and the Sword, which brings death; the dual nature of this god is also visible in the [[acinaces|{{transliteration|grc|akīnakēs}}]] used to represent him being shaped like a [[phallus]], thus being a deadly weapon which was also shaped in the form of a life-giving organ.
According to [[Tadeusz Sulimirski]], this form of worship continued among the descendants of the Scythians, the [[Alans|{{transliteration|grc|Alanoi|italics=no}}]], through to the 4th century AD;{{sfn|Sulimirski|1985|pages=158-160}} this tradition may be reflected in [[Jordanes|{{transliteration|la|Iordanēs|italics=no}}]]'s assertion that [[Attila|{{transliteration|la|Attila|italics=no}}]] was able to assert his authority over the Scythians through his possession of a particular blade, referred to as the "[[Sword of Attila|Sword of {{transliteration|la|Mars|italics=no}}]]."<ref>Geary (1994:63).</ref>