Archaeology news: Researchers uncover new evidence on ancient warrior tribe’s origins

The joint Russian and Swiss archaeological team now suspects new digs exhibit unexpected traits of a foreign influence on their barbaric culture Although they concluded one of the earliest royal Scythian burial mounds is culturally similar to the area’s Late Bronze Age cultures, one architectural detail stunned them after odd clay architecture was spotted at the massive tomb with no known other regional comparisons.

Timur Sadykov, co-lead of the Tunnug 1 project, believes this hints towards a western Central Asian contribution to the formation of the earliest Scythian bases.

He said: “By the start of the excavation campaign we formulated a hypothesis Tunnug 1 is the most ancient among the existing early Scythian mounds and is structurally close to the kurgan Arzhan 1 that was excavated in the 1970s also in Tuva.

“Our recent research shows this cultural tradition was likely developed in the Valley of Kings of Tuva, but it has a complex origin.

“We see a number of features that refer to the mounds of the Mongun-Taiga culture and Mongolian deer stone khirigsuur complex, but we also have some specific elements showing cultural influences unusual for this territory that can be traced to western Central Asia.”

READ MORE: ‘Khufu’s secret’ exposed from thermal anomalies detected in Great Pyramid bricks

Their reputation as producing a long lineage of warriors originated from Scythian’ ability to fire arrows with unerring accuracy from horseback.

Writing in the fifth century BC, Greek historian Herodotus claimed the Scythians made cloaks from their victims’ scalps after victory.

And it is also thought the savage warriors made drinking cups from their enemies’ skulls and drank their blood to celebrate victories.

source: express.co.uk