Grave of Noble Nomadic Warrior Unearthed in Turkistan Region

Archaeologists have discovered the burial site of a noble nomadic warrior in Kazakhstan’s Turkistan region, Orda.kz reports, citing the Ministry of Science.

The grave contained horse harnesses, everyday tools, and protective amulets.

The burial was found in the Tolebaitobe-2 necropolis near the village of Karaspan by researchers from Zhanibekov South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University and Leiden University in the Netherlands.

The mound dates back to the period of the Kangju state (1st century BC – 4th century AD). According to researchers, the contents of the grave indicate it belonged to a high-ranking warrior.

This is evidenced by the discovered items — arrowheads, a household knife, horse harness including bits, belt buckles, and decorative ornaments. One particularly notable find is a fragment of a large hum vessel placed beneath the coffin in the burial pit,the Ministry of Science said in a statement. 

Also recovered from the grave were a horse tooth and several plaster amulets, which archaeologists believe were intended to protect the deceased from evil spirits.

In another burial mound, archaeologists uncovered a rare ceramic crucible — a vessel used for melting precious metals at low temperatures — marking a significant find in the study of ancient metallurgy in the region.

This isn’t the only major archaeological discovery in recent weeks. In late June, scientists from KazNU announced the discovery of valuable artifacts in the Almaty region, believed to have belonged to Saka rulers.

Original Author: Igor Ulitin