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Astana, Kazakhstan • 10 November, 2025 | 12:52
1 minutes - reading time

Rare Saka-era Burial Unearthed in Kazakhstan

The unique bronze sword found in the tomb has no known parallels in the country

Kainysh Bukharbay
Kainysh Bukharbay

Archaeologists in the Karaganda Region have discovered an untouched burial of a Saka warrior at the Karabie burial site in the Aktogai district. The kurgan, dating back to the 7th–6th centuries BCE, was found completely intact — a rare find for Saka-period monuments.

Inside the burial, researchers uncovered a male skeleton holding a bronze sword (akinak). Arrowheads and a gold earring were also found nearby, suggesting the man’s high social status. According to archaeologist Arman Beissenov, the double-edged cast bronze akinak, decorated with steppe predator motifs, is unique in Kazakhstan.

The artifacts will be transferred to the regional museum for further study. Metallurgical, radiocarbon, and anthropological analyses are planned, with results expected to be presented in winter next year.

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