A Russian farmer, while excavating his land, made a surprising find: a 2,000-year-old burial mound that held the remains and artifacts of a nomadic royal, including the peculiar skull of a “laughing” man.
In Southern Russia, an elite nomadic burial site has been uncovered. During his work on the land, a farmer came across burials that seem to have belonged to a nomadic culture. Archaeologists have discovered several skeletons and a multitude of grave goods that are anticipated to revolutionize our understanding of nomadic society from 2,000 years ago.
The discovery was made in the vicinity of Nikolyskoye village, located in the Astrakhan region of southern Russia, just north of the Caspian Sea. A local farmer named Rustam Mudayev was digging when his shovel struck something metallic. He unearthed a copper pot that appeared to be very ancient, prompting him to bring it to the local Astrakhan Museum. Upon examination, experts realized that the farmer might have made a significant archaeological find. With improved
“Kurgans frequently house the interments of prominent individuals from bygone societies,” as stated by Fox News.
According to The Daily Mail, the museum’s scientific researcher, Georgy Stukalov, stated that, “Upon inspecting the burial site, we realized that it was a royal mound, estimated to be 2,500 years old. It is believed to be a location where nomads laid to rest members of the highest social strata.”
The team quickly determined that the burial originated from the Sarmatian culture. Although it had been plundered by looters at some point, it remained mostly intact, much to the satisfaction of the experts.
The Sarmatians, an influential nomadic group, exerted their dominance over an expanse stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Carpathian Mountains. As Iranian people, they held sway over the Russian Steppe from the 5th century BC until the arrival of the Huns in the 4th century AD. They frequently engaged in conflicts with the Romans, and one faction even established a formidable state in central Europe. Renowned for their heavily armored horsemen, these nomads were ultimately assimilated by the Slavs and other nomadic cultures.
Sarmatian Nobleman
In just twelve days, the team from Astrakhan made several highly significant discoveries. They unearthed the burial of a nobleman placed within the confines of a wooden coffin. As reported by the Daily Mail, “he was buried with his head elevated as if on a pillow and was adorned with a cape decorated with gold plaques.”
He was discovered alongside weapons, a mirror, pots, and jewelry that was “adorned with turquoise and lapis lazuli,” as reported by Live Science. A small gold horse head, encrusted with tiny precious stones, was found between his legs. The exceptional quality of the jewelry didn’t come as a surprise to the archaeologists since the nomadic people were renowned for their exceptional metalworking skills.
Near the chieftain or noble, the team discovered a grave containing a female buried with a bronze mirror and some mysterious stone artifacts, possibly carrying symbolic significance. Additionally, the team uncovered the bones of a lamb that seemed to have been part of some form of ritual sacrifice. The purpose of the sacrifice remains uncertain, whether it was an offering to the deceased or to certain underworld deities.
Another burial discovered was that of an elderly man, but unfortunately, his remains had been disturbed by an excavator. Interestingly, a horse’s head was found in the grave, and according to the Daily Mail, “its skull was still adorned with an intricate harness richly decorated with silver and bronze.” There have been numerous instances of horses being buried with nomads, like the Scythians, on the Eurasian Steppe. This discovery might indicate that the Sarmatians had been influenced by previous nomadic cultures or even emerged from the Scythian group of tribes.
Subsequently, the archaeologists made a rather surprising discovery as they uncovered the skeleton of a male with a skull that appeared to be in a laughing expression. The laughing skull was also described as “artificially deformed into an egg-shaped form,” as reported by the Daily Mail.
The shape of the deceased man’s cranium suggests that his head had been intentionally bound when he was an infant to achieve this distinctive form. In many nomadic societies, having an elongated skull was often viewed as a symbol of nobility. This deliberate skull deformation practice was common among various Steppe peoples, including the Huns.
According to Fox News, the remains from the recently discovered kurgan are being transported to the Astrakhan State Museum, where the age and cause of death of the nomads will be determined. Work on the kurgan site is ongoing, and more discoveries are anticipated. This elite burial site is providing us with unparalleled insights into the Sarmatians who held sway over the Steppes for over a millennium.