Archaeologists Discover 2,600-Year-Old Saka Warrior Tomb in Kazakhstan

Archaeologists in Kazakhstan’s Karaganda region have made a rare discovery - an untouched burial of a Saka warrior dating back to the 7th-6th centuries BC.

The find was made by specialists from the Karaganda Regional History Museum during excavations at the Karabie burial site in the Aktogay district, The Caspian Post informs via Kazakh media.

Inside Kurgan No. 1, researchers uncovered a skeleton holding a bronze akinak (short sword), surrounded by arrowheads and a gold earring.

“The skeleton was perfectly preserved, lying with an akinak in his right hand - a discovery we haven’t seen in many years,” said Dauren Zhussupov, head of the museum’s Archaeology Department.

The double-edged bronze akinak, about 30 cm long, features intricate decorations of steppe birds of prey. According to archaeologist Arman Beissenov, “No other sword of this type has been found in Kazakhstan - it reflects the Saka era’s advanced metallurgy and artistic craftsmanship.”

Alongside the weapon, archaeologists found five metal arrowheads and a gold earring, symbols of the warrior’s elite status. The artifact style resembles items associated with the famed Golden Man discovered at the Taldy-2 burial site.

The findings will undergo metallographic, radiocarbon, and anthropological analyses, with results expected next winter. The excavation was supported by the Karaganda Akimat and the Regional Department of Culture, Archives, and Documentation.

Earlier this year, archaeologists in the Atyrau region discovered coins dating back to the reign of Mengu-Timur, highlighting Kazakhstan’s ongoing archaeological breakthroughs.