Weapons, treasures found in 2,000-year-old Russian mountain grave

Weapons, treasures found in
2,000-year-old Russian mountain grave

Burial site of ancient warrior yields swords, chain
mails
The remains of an ancient warrior buried wearing golden
jewelery and with his sword positioned between his legs have been discovered in
Russia. Amazed scientists marveled at the array of artifacts found within the
2,200-year-old necropolis, even more remarkable as the site had already been
raided by grave-robbers.


Scientists believe the warrior, whose burial place was located
near the town of Mezmay in the Caucasus, was a 'chief of a people,' rather than
the head of a town or city.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online):
The warrior was buried wearing chain-mail. Two swords and a pair of bronze
helmets were also found. One of the helmets was inscribed with curled sheep
horns. A sword, 36-inches long was found resting between his
legs.

Scientists believe the warrior, whose burial place was located near
the town of Mezmay in the Caucasus, was a "chief of a people," rather than the
head of a town or city. Animal remains were also found in the grave, including
three horses, a cow and a wild boar skull.

A researcher at the Ukrainian
National Academy of Sciences Institute of Archaeology, Valentina Mordvintseva
said that the animals "were particularly valuable among barbarian peoples of the
ancient world."

"It was [a] sign of [the] great importance of the buried
person, which was shown by his relatives and his tribe," she told journalists.


The bones of other animals and pottery found in the grave suggest that a
feast was held to mark the warrior's death.

Writing in the journal
"Ancient Civilizations from Scythia to Siberia," the team behind the discovery
detailed the 12 gold artifacts discovered, which included a gold brooch,
measuring 2.3 by 1.9 inches, with a rock crystal fixed in its centre.


Something the scientists had never come across before were two swords
also included gold decorations.

A smaller 19-inch sword featured a gold
plate, leading the team to note "actual fact that these articles were used to
decorate weapons sets them apart in a category all of their own, which has so
far not been recorded anywhere else."

Grave robbers first discovered the
necropolis in 2004, a year before excavations began at the site. Researchers
believe the grave was used between the third century BC and the beginning of the
second century AD, but they could not link the artifacts with any particular
culture.