- Russian archeologists working in a remote area of southern
Siberia have discovered a golden treasure hoard in the tomb of a warrior
prince from a civilisation that died out more than 2,000 years ago.
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- The tomb was found in Tuva, a republic within Russia
and bordering Mongolia. Lying beneath thousands of huge rocks and buried
in a deep pit covered with logs, it contains the remains of the Scythian
prince and his consort, along with more than 45lb of golden treasure.
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- The team's leader, Konstantin Chugunov, 39, a professor
from the Hermitage museum in St Petersburg, has described it as one of
the most significant finds ever from the Scythian empire, which existed
between the 8th and 2nd centuries BC.
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- "I could never have imagined we would find that
sort of treasure," he said last week after returning to St Petersburg,
where he is helping with restoration work. "There are many more such
burial sites in the area. But never has a Scythian grave given us such
treasures."
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- Exquisite work: the tomb contained 45lb of golden treasure
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- The Scythians were a fierce, nomadic Aryan people who
ruled the vast Russian and Asian steppes. Their empire extended from the
Danube and the Black Sea to the Mongolian plains. They disappeared, leaving
no written records or even traces of buildings. Excavations have revealed
beautiful golden objects, however, many of which exhibit the highest quality
of workmanship.
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- The Tuvan treasure was found at Arzhan, about 50 miles
northwest of the capital, Kyzyl. The burial mound, known as a kurgan, lies
in an area already known as the Valley of the Tsars, which may become a
world heritage site. Although there are many kurgans, local superstitions
and the valley's remoteness have discouraged digging for treasure.
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- "I have known of the existence of the burial mound
for years," Chugunov said. "But it was only after colleagues
from Berlin University became involved financially that I chose to work
on that site."
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- The site lies close to a partially looted kurgan that
was excavated in 1974, revealing the bones of 160 horses but little gold.
Chugunov said his find - which he named Arzhan II - was intact because
it was 12ft below ground and difficult for grave robbers to reach.
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- The treasure included a solid gold quiver, goblet and
necklaces. The remains of the two bodies in the grave have disintegrated,
but the shapes were still visible because they had been dressed in garments
covered in more than 9,000 pieces of gold.
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- "For the first time we have evidence of how wealthy
these burial sites were," Chugunov said. "The man, for instance,
wore a leather coat with a high collar, which weighed 8kg [17lb] and was
completely covered with golden figures of two wild animals resembling a
puma and a female lion.
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- "Next to the bodies were weapons, including something
like a large axe. We also found mirror frames made of copper."
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- Chugunov is convinced there is more beneath the kurgan.
The team has so far opened only a quarter of the site, which has a diameter
of 250ft.
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- The site is remarkably similar to Scythian graves described
by Herodotus, the 5th-century BC Greek historian. He told of how a king
would be embalmed on his death and his body taken round the tribes on a
wagon. It would then be conveyed to a remote burial place.
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- "There the body of the king is laid in the grave,
stretched upon a mattress," Herodotus wrote. "Spears are fixed
in the ground on either side of the corpse and beams stretched above it
to form a roof.
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- "In the open space around the body of the king they
bury one of his concubines, first killing her by strangling, and also his
cup-bearer, his cook, his groom, his lackey, his messenger, some of his
horses . . . and some golden cups, for they use neither silver nor brass."
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- Chugunov, who has worked on another smaller site in the
Valley of the Tsars, plans to return to Tuva next spring to continue the
excavation.
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- The contents of the tomb are the subject of a special
agreement between the Russian and Tuvan governments. They will be restored
at the Hermitage before being returned to the republic, where they will
be displayed in a new museum.
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- "It's a unique site and, for me, the experience
of a lifetime," Chugunov said.
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- http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/n
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