Reach for the
4,000-year-old Royal Double grave found in Kazakhstan containing a treasure
trove of gold and bronze burial paraphernalia
Archaeologists working in a desolate and remote area of the Central
Asian country of Kazakhstan have made a remarkable discovery. They found the
remains of an adolescent couple from 4000 years ago in a grave that had a
treasure trove of gold and bronze burial goods. The couple was found in a
graveyard that is providing insights into a rich and sophisticated culture that
thrived in the region during the Bronze Age.
The astonishing burial was made in the remote and inhospitable Karaganda region
in Kazakhstan. This was once popularly known as the ““middle of nowhere”
and was a destination for political exiles from many parts of the former
USSR,’’ reports The World News. The grave was unearthed by archaeologists
from the Saryarkinsky Archaeology Institute in Karaganda, led by Dr. Igor
Kukushkin.
The Lovers’ grave
The Kazakh archaeologists were working in the ‘’ancient burial complex
called Kyzyltau cemetery, which is made up of five hills,’’ according to the
Daily Mail. This is an extensive and elite burial ground from the Bronze Age. The
excavators unearthed a grave covered with stones; inside they found the skeletons
of two teenagers, one male and one female.
Inside the grave the excavators found the skeletons of two teenagers,
one male and one female.
The dead were lying
side by side, looking directly into each other’s eyes. Laying the bodies of the
deceased in a buried in this position is most unusual in any culture. It is
estimated that the male and the female were 16 or 17 years old when they died
some 4,000 years ago.
The
position of the skeleton has led some to speculate that they were
lovers who had been buried side by side. It is possible that they may also
have been brother and sister. All that can be said for certain is that the pair
were deliberately positioned so that they could look into each other’s eyes for
all eternity.
Is
the Double burial a Royal grave?
Kukushkin
told The World News that ‘the grave is rich’’. Gold and bronze items
were found with the couple. The young female was burial wearing two arm
bracelets and pendants in the shape of the sun. The Daily
Mail reports that the dead girl ‘’wore precious gold temple rings shaped
like earrings’’. It seems highly likely, based on the grave goods, that the
pair were nobles or possibly even royalty. The 4000-year-old skeleton are
potentially the remains of a prince and princess.
The
couple was found near the ‘’ grave of a suspected priestess from the ancient
Alakul culture,’’ according to The World News. This grave was most unsual
as there are seven pots, ashes, and a human skull interred with the woman. The
number seven has mystical and magical connotations in many cultures. The
theory that a priestess was buried in the grave may explain
why it was not robbed,
unlike neighbouring burials.
The grave of a priestess was also found nearby.
The
Rich Archaeology of Karaganda
A
step-pyramid similar to those constructed by the early Pharaohs has
been discovered in Karaganda too. Today, the area may be desolate, but in the
distant past it was clearly once home to a highly sophisticated culture.
The
study of the remains of the couple, who were possibly royalty, and their
luxurious grave goods is at an early stage. The cause of their deaths has not
been determined. It is hoped that researchers can establish some facts about
the dead couple which could, in turn, provide insights into the mysterious but
advanced culture that once flourished on the Kazakhstan Steppe.
Two агm bracelets were discovered in the grave. (Tengri News)
Top Image: The rich double burial contained the skeletons of a male and female, who may have been a prince
and princess. Source: Tengri News
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