Hoard of weapons and treasures found in 2,000-year-old Russian mountain grave where ancient warrior was buried

Necropolis discovered in the Caucasus also contained animal remains

Scientists said the warrior was likely to have been the 'chief of a people'

The grave contained more than a dozen artefacts made from gold

Two swords also found, one of which was positioned between his legs



The grave of an ancient warrior who was buried wearing golden jewellery and with a sword positioned between his legs has been discovered in Russia.

Scientists were amazed at the array of artefacts found within the 2,200-year-old necropolis as it had already been raided by grave-robbers.

The warrior was buried wearing chain-mail, while two swords and a pair of bronze helmets were also found.

Golden grave: The warrior's grave, located near the town of Mezmay in the Caucasus, Russia, included a gold brooch, measuring a little over 2in by 2in, with a rock crystal fixed in its centre

Collection: Scientists who found the necropolis discovered more than 12 gold artefacts, as well as a number of weapons

One of the helmets was inscribed with curled sheep horns, while a 36in sword was found resting between his legs.

Scientists believe the warrior, whose grave was located near the town of Mezmay in the Caucasus, was a 'chief of a people', rather than the head of a town or city.

Chief: An axe belonging to the warrior, who researchers said was most likely the 'chief of a people' rather than the head of a town

Animal remains were also found in the grave, including three horses, a cow and a wild boar skull.

Valentina Mordvintseva, a researcher at the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences Institute of Archaeology, said that the animals 'were particularly valuable among barbarian peoples of the ancient world'.

He told the Huffington Post: 'It was [a] sign of [the] great importance of the buried person, which was shown by his relatives and his tribe.'

Bones of other animals and pottery also found in the grave, suggest that a feast was held to mark the warrior's death.

Writing in the journal Ancient Civilizations from Scythia to Siberia, the team behind the discovery detailed the 12 gold artefacts discovered.

The find included a gold brooch, measuring 2.3 by 1.9 inches, with a rock crystal fixed in its centre.



The two swords also included gold decorations, something the scientists had never come across before.

A smaller 19-inch sword featured a gold plate, leading the team to note ' actual fact that these articles were used to decorate weapons sets them apart in a category all of their own, which has so far not been recorded anywhere else'.

Grave robbers first discovered the necropolis in 2004, a year before excavations began at the site.

The researchers believe the grave was used between the third century BC and the beginning of the second century AD, but they could not link the artefacts with any particular culture.

Map: A plan of the necropolis, which had first been stumbled upon by grave robbers in 2004 and which was excavated in 2005









