A rare intact grave of a Saka warrior has been uncovered in the Karaganda Region of central Kazakhstan. It dates to the 7th–6th centuries B.C. and contains important grave goods accompanying the undisturbed skeletal remains of an adult male, most notably a skillfully crafted double-edged sword that is unique for the region.
Archaeologists from the Karaganda Regional History Museum unearthed the warrior tomb in the Karabie burial site in the Aktogay district. They expected to find damaged graves looted in antiquity, as happens in 90% of Saka burials, but when they excavated Kurgan No. 1, the team found the stone ceiling slabs topping the mound still intact. When they removed the slabs, they found the contents of the grave and its occupant untouched. The articulated skeleton of a man was found lying on his back, his head facing northwest. His right hand held a double-bladed bronze akinak sword. Five bronze arrowheads were placed next to his left foot, similar (albeit not as luxurious) as the ones found in the iconic “Golden Man” burial found in 1969 in southeastern Kazakhstan. Near his skull was a delicate golden earring crafted from a base of iron covered in the thinnest gold foil.
The akinak is the first of its form and design found in Kazakhstan. It is 30 cm (12 inches) long, and was cast in a single piece, handle and all, with a distinct reinforcing rib. It is intricately ornamented, the handle decorated with the corkscrew shaped horns of the Karaganda argali (wild sheep) at the guard and two large-beaked bird heads representing the steppe eagle and the golden eagle, at the hilt.. This attests to the high level of metalworking skill and artistry of Saka craftsmen.
The Saka were a nomadic Eastern Iranian people who inhabited the Eurasian Steppe from the 9th century B.C. through the 5th century A.D. They were related to the Scythian peoples of the western steppe and at their greatest range their territory encompassed all of what is today Kazakhstan.
The contents of the burial will now undergo scientific analyses including metal composition, radiocarbon dating and osteological examination to discover the age and origin of the objects and the deceased.. The composition of the bronze is of particular interest, as central Kazakhstan is known to have had extensive copper deposits.
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