Sacrificial Rituals: Archaeologists Reveal Details

Experts discovered them by studying bones found in the ancient city of Aq-Iriy, Orda reports, citing the Margulan Institute of Archaeology.

The Institute reports that the ancient bones found in the Aq-Iriy settlement are stored in the regional history and local history museum of the North Kazakhstan region. Expedition members led by archaeologist Anatoly Pleshakov collected them during excavations over the past 16 years. 

The collected bones were examined in early December by Mambet Shagirbaev, the head of the zooarchaeology laboratory at the Margulan Institute.

Morphological analysis of the bones revealed the remains of a horse, cattle, wild boar, elk and dog that had been sacrificed, the institute said. 

The scientists also examined fragments of other bones and concluded that they were food waste. 

The Aq-Iriy settlement was discovered in 1968, and systematic study began in 2003. Experts say it dates back to the 5th century BC, to the Saka era. 

Original Author: Igor Ulitin