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Chinese artifacts found in ancient Tuvan burial sites


18 August 2011.

Chinese artifacts found in ancient Tuvan burial sitesStudents of the IIMK team led by V. A. Semyonov and M. E. Kilunovskaya  opened a burial at Eki-Otuk site. The work was conducted in unusual and even extreme conditions; an underground river flows right through the burial - one of branches of river Eerbek , which flows along all the digs on the surface.

During investigations of this burial, a Chinese buckle was found with an image of Teo-te mask. Presumably the find can be dated to  19th-6th centuries before our era. It needs to be noted that this is the first time in his lengthy working experience that V. A. Semyonov has seen a buckle of this type in Tuva. 

Beside that, this excavation also yielded a Chinese spoon from approximately the same time, which, most likely, was used for preparation of narcotic substances, as well as many artifacts from Early Scythian era ( 7th  - 6th centuries before our era): arrowheads, including bone ones with imitation bronze, details of horse trappings, a mirror, a gold earring of a young girl, daggers, one of which has a curved form. Currently the scientists are discussing the reasons for the curved form. There are many versions, ranging from a natural deformation to a ritual reason.

Altogether this burial contained 2 male and 3 female bodies: one young man, 2 girls, and a man and woman couple of about 50 years old. The work on this object is not finished yet.

The archeologists from Sankt-Peterburg also discovered a female burial with interetsing artifacts - various female adornments, buckles and beads. V. A. Semyonov has reconstructed the beads. This burial is from Late Scythian period (4th-2nd centuries before our era).


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