A 2,800-year-old burial with the remains of a prominent figure, who was buried alongside at least one human sacrifice and 18 horse sacrifices, appears to belong to a culture closely related to the mysterious Scythians, according to a new study.
This is a large burial mound, discovered in Tuva, a state in southern Siberia. It dates to the transitional period between the Bronze and Iron Ages, and is among the earliest known of its kind to show Scythian burial practices, according to the study published Tuesday (Oct. 8) in the journal Antiquity.
A team of archaeologists has discovered evidence of burial rituals that included sacrifices at the Tunnug 1 mound, located in Tuva, southern Siberia. The findings suggest that the Scythians, mostly known for their presence in Eastern Europe, may have come from much further east than previously thought.
The Scythians, a nomadic people of the steppes, are known for their horse-centered culture, and their distinctive art, characterized by elaborate depictions of animals in specific poses. Throughout history, their nomadic lifestyle allowed them to migrate over long distances. It thus became more complicated to identify their exact origin.
While they were known to have moved from Central Asia to the Pontic Steppe in what is now southwestern Russia and Ukraine, their origins remain a mystery to this day.
The horse-riding Scythians have captured the human imagination since the days of Herodotus, notes Dr. Gino Caspari, head of the research, from the Max Planck Twin and the University of Bern.
But the origins of their culture remain buried in remote corners of the Eurasian steppes for too many years. The team’s efforts, with experts from various institutions, paid off when one of the earliest examples of a royal burial of Scythian cultural material was investigated: the Tunnug 1 tomb, dating from the 9th century BC.
Among the finds excavated at the mound are bone fragments of at least one human and eighteen horses, suggesting that the latter were sacrificed in honor of the deceased, who probably belonged to the elite.
This discovery offers evidence in favor of the idea that burial rituals, centered on the horse, existed even in the culture of the early Scythians, representing the customs later mentioned in the classical texts, thousands of kilometers to the west, in Europe.
The development of the Scythian culture
The horse bones, found together with Scythian-type artefacts representing animals, and riding equipment, testify that these practices were part of a wider cultural phenomenon, within which the Scythians would evolve with greater sophistication over the coming years.
Scythian-type animal objects are emblematic of steppe culture, and the discovery of some of the earliest examples at Tunnug 1 is exciting archaeologists. “After years of hard work in Siberia, it’s great to have some of the earliest Scythian-type animal artefacts in our hands,” said Dr. Caspari.
Uncovering early evidence of a unique cultural phenomenon is a privilege and a dream come true. The presence of these “Scythian-type” burials as far east as Tuva suggests that the origins of the Scythian culture, which is shrouded in mystery, may lie across the Eurasian steppes.
This reinforces the idea that early equestrian cultures were highly variable and spread over vast areas. Beyond these observations, Tunnug mound 1 shows many similarities with Late Bronze Age burials in Mongolia, which indicate that some elements of Scythian burial rituals have roots even further east and south.
Bronze Age equestrian cultures in Mongolia may have influenced burial practices later adopted by the Scythians.
The history of the ancient Scythians as fearsome warriors dates back more than 2,000 years. Archaeologists have even revealed that these tribes did indeed have merciless warriors, who carried their arrows in leather quivers made from the skin of their defeated enemies.
The contribution of Tuva to Eurasian prehistory
The evidence from Tunnug 1 establishes the critical role that Tuva has played in Eurasian prehistory, notes Dr. Caspari. “Findings highlight the importance of Inner Asia in the development of transcontinental cultural connections”.
He adds that these funerary rituals are not only a part of Scythian spiritual life, but may also have played an important role in wider processes of cultural and political transformation across Eurasia.
The practices recorded in Tunnug 1 could have contributed to the emergence of herding empires in later stages, such as the Scythians and other nomadic peoples who dominated vast areas of Eurasia.
Source: www.enikos.gr
