While digging a pit on his land, a farmer unearthed a 2,000-year-old trove within the ancient burial mound of a nomadic ‘royal,’ accompanied by the striking presence of a ‘laughing’ man with an artificially deformed egg-shaped skull. The discovery near the Caspian Sea in southern Russia included a wealth of astonishing gold and silver jewelry, weaponry, valuable artifacts, and intricately crafted household items—all carefully placed alongside the chieftain’s skeleton in a grave.

The unexpected find occurred when local farmer Rustam Mudayev’s spade produced an unusual noise, revealing an ancient bronze pot buried near his village of Nikolskoye in the Astrakhan region.

A chieftain, believed to be a high-ranking ‘royal’ of a nomadic society, was laid to rest with his head elevated as if on a pillow, a detail captured in a photograph. Recognizing the significance of the find, the farmer who made the discovery, Rustam Mudayev, took the artifacts to the Astrakhan History Museum for analysis and the expert opinion of specialists.

“After the snow melted, we organized an expedition to the village,” recounted Georgy Stukalov, the museum’s scientific researcher. “Upon inspecting the burial site, we realized it to be a royal mound—a site where ancient nomads interred their nobility.” The burial is believed to belong to a leader of a Sarmatian nomadic tribe that held sway over this region of Russia until the 5th century AD.

During the 12-day excavation, the team unearthed remarkable artifacts, including multiple pieces of gold jewelry adorned with turquoise, lapis lazuli, and glass inserts. The most noteworthy discovery was a male skeleton encased in a wooden coffin. Positioned with his head raised, as if cradled on a pillow, the chieftain wore a cape embellished with gold plaques. His elite status was further emphasized by a collection of knives, gold items, a small mirror, and various pots.

Among the treasures found were a gold and turquoise belt buckle, the chief’s dagger, a tiny gold horse’s head buried between his legs, and other intricate pieces of jewelry. These findings provide a captivating glimpse into the opulence and significance of this ancient nomadic leader and his entourage.

Another grave was of an elderly man – his skeleton broke by an excavator – but buried with him was the head of his horse, its skull still dressed in an intricate harness richly decorated with silver and bronze

While excavating a pit on his land, a farmer made a remarkable discovery—unearthing a 2,000-year-old treasure within the ancient burial mound of a nomadic ‘royal.’ Notably, the tomb also revealed the presence of a ‘laughing’ man, depicted in a photograph, sporting an artificially deformed egg-shaped skull. This intentional shaping and elongation of the skull were practices embraced by ancient groups such as the Sarmatians, Alans, Huns, and others on various continents.

The burial is believed to belong to a leader of a Sarmatian nomadic tribe that dominated this part of Russia until the 5th century AD

Pieces of jewellery were found in the burial pit alongside the dead humans and animals and experts believe they were gifts for the dead

The chief’s dagger was buried with him and places alongside his body, between his hand and leg (pictured)

The excavation yielded a trove of artifacts, including a gold and turquoise belt buckle, the chieftain’s dagger, and a diminutive gold horse’s head ceremoniously buried between his legs. The collection extended to encompass various intricate pieces of jewelry.

In close proximity, a woman interred with a bronze mirror was discovered alongside a sacrificial offering of a whole lamb and assorted stone items, the significance of which remains unclear. Another burial site revealed the remains of an elderly man, albeit with a skeleton inadvertently disrupted by an excavator. Intriguingly, he was accompanied by the head of his horse, adorned with an elaborate harness richly decorated with silver and bronze.

Within the same burial mound lay the skeleton of a young man with an artificially deformed egg-shaped skull, adding another layer of mystery and intrigue to the unfolding archaeological narrative.

Local farmer Rustam Mudayev’s spade made an unusual noise and it emerged he had struck an ancient bronze pot near his village of Nikolskoye in Astrakhan region

A horse’s head buried on top of the old man’s body still carries an intricate silver and bronze harness which was also uncovered

The farmer took his find to the Astrakhan History museum for analysis and an experts opinion on the find. ‘As soon as the snow melted we organised an expedition to the village,’ said museum’s scientific researcher Georgy Stukalov

‘After inspecting the burial site we understood that it to be a royal mound, one of the sites where ancient nomads buried their nobility,’ the archaeologist said

‘We have been digging now for 12 days,’ said Mr Stukalov. ‘We have found multiple gold jewellery decorated with turquoise and inserts of lapis lazuli and glass’

A chieftain was buried with his head raised as if on a pillow and wearing a cape adorned with gold plagues

The most remarkable discovery centers around a male skeleton entombed within a wooden coffin, marking a ‘significant’ find. This chieftain’s head was positioned as if cradled on a pillow, adorned with a cape embellished with gold plaques.

The distinct shape of the skull suggests intentional ‘moulding,’ likely achieved through the use of multiple bandages or ‘ringing’ during infancy. These practices involved wearing bandages or rings during the early years of a child’s life to shape the skull into the desired form. Such skull shaping and elongation were prevalent among ancient groups like the Sarmatians, Alans, Huns, and others on various continents.

These deliberately deformed skulls were regarded as a symbol of an individual’s special status, noble lineage, and their esteemed position within their societies. The burial sites, dating back around 2,000 years, coincide with a period dominated by the Sarmatian nomadic tribes in what is now southern Russia.

Governor Sergey Morozov of the Astrakhan region expressed, “These finds will help us understand what was happening here at the dawn of civilization.” Excavations at the site are ongoing, promising further insights into the mysteries of this ancient nomadic community.

Nearby was a woman with a bronze mirror who had been buried with a sacrificial offering of a whole lamb, along with various stone items, the meaning of which is unclear

The gold jewellery and the buckle (pictured) are thought to be signs of the person’s nobility and would only have been afforded to the most wealthy people

A gold and turquoise horse head was buried between the chief’s’ legs. The small but valuable find is just one of many important artefacts in the burial pit