2,500-Year-Old Scythian Warrior Found In Untouched Grave In Siberian ‘Valley Of The Kings’
2,500-Year-Old Scythian Warrior Found In Untouched Grave In Siberian ‘Valley Of The Kings’
A Scythian warrior’s of 2,500-year-old tomb has been discovered in the ‘Siberian Valley of the Kings’ in Russia.
The warrior discovered by archaeologist from the University of Jagiellonian in Krakow, buried with his weapon and gold ornaments, was found in an untouched tomb in the area known for its rich burial sites and notorious grave-robbing.
In the Asian part of the Russian Federation is so-called “Siberian Valley of the Kings,” named after its Egyptian counterpart.
It was named after the numerous giant kurgan tombs, often full of treasures of thought belonging to royalty.
Of the two tombs they found only one was robbed, while the other was untouched.The archaeological site of Chinge-Tey where Poles uncovered the new treasures is operated together with the State Hermitage Museum in Sankt Petersburg and Korean Seoul University, reports the Science in Poland website (Nauka w Polsce).
Dr. Lukasz Oleszczak, the Polish expedition’s head, told PAP: “For our research we chose an inconspicuous, almost invisible kurgan with a diameter of about 25 m.
“We hoped that it remained unnoticed by the robbers.”
He added: “Inside was a young warrior’s skeleton with full equipment. There area around his head was decorated with a pectoral made of gold sheet, a glass bead, a gold spiral for adorning the braid.”
Archaeologists also found the Scythian buried with a sharpening stone and his weapon – a bronze battle-axe with a stylized eagle’s head, arrows, an iron knife, fragments of an bow – presenting an array of items a warrior roaming the Siberian wilderness would need.
The Scythians buried their dead in kurgans, some resembling hills visible from afar.Dr. Oleszczak said: “Other well-preserved items were made of organic materials. Among them there is a leather quiver, arrow spars, the axe’s shaft and a belt.”
The findings date back to the 7th or 6th century BC. Scythians were nomad people from Central Asia, who expanded into Eastern Europe through their love of combat and war.
Their achievements were described by the Greek historian Herodotus.
The grave found this year was surrounded by a shallow trench. Inside archaeologists uncovered several dozen fragments of ceramic vessels and animal bones, mainly of cows, horses, goats or sheep.
Most probably they are traces of religious ceremonies and rituals, such as funeral wakes.
The Polish archaeologists will continue their work in Chinge-Tey, as there is still one grave they found, but were unable to fully examine.