A 2,500-year-old burial of members of a nomadic tribe has been uncovered in Russia by a farmer. The burial comprised the remains of three members of the elite as well as a horse’s skull and harness and other artefacts.

The discovery was made by Rustam Mudayev who was working on a farm and first noticed a bronze cauldron. He reported the discovery to the Authorities and an archaeological team led by Georgiy Stukalov was sent to excavate the site. Excavations yielded the burial of the tribe’s members.

The nomadic tribe are known as the Sarmatians and they were buried in a kurgan, namely a large mound, in the Nikolskoye village northwest of the Caspian Sea. Although the kurgan had been looted during antiquity, archaeologists found three coffins inside as well as many artefacts, such as gold jewellery or household items. So far archaeologists have unearthed a bronze cauldron and golden jewellery.

The Sarmatians was a group that thrived in southern Russia and had participated in fights with other groups such as the Scythians, Romans and Goths.

Excavations and research on the remains are ongoing so further information on the individuals is expected in the near future.

The Astrakhan regional government made an announcement on the discovery. The findings will be taken to the Astrakhan State Museum for further research.