NIKOLSKOYE, RUSSIA—A farmer who discovered a kurgan on his property in southwestern Russia alerted archaeologist Georgiy Stukalov of the Astrakhan State Museum and his team, according to a Live Science report. Their excavation revealed that the kurgan had been looted in antiquity, but still contained three human skeletons, a horse skull, a harness, weapons, gold jewelry, and a bronze cauldron. The three individuals are thought to have been buried in wooden coffins some 2,500 years ago and to have belonged to a group of nomads known as the Sarmatians, who later migrated to eastern and central Europe. The artifacts and bones will be analyzed at the Astrakhan State Museum. To read about another recent discovery in southwestern Russia, go to “Hellenistic Helmet Safety.”
