Arzhan, Archaeological burial site in Piy-Khemsky District, Russia
Arzhan is an archaeological burial mound complex in the Piy-Khemsky District of Russia, set in a steppe valley near the Western Sayan Mountains. The site consists of two main mounds, known as Arzhan 1 and Arzhan 2, both made of stone and visible from a distance across the open landscape.
Arzhan 1 was excavated in the 1970s, uncovering wooden burial chambers and objects dating to the 9th and 8th centuries BC. Arzhan 2 was excavated in the early 2000s and found largely undisturbed, containing gold objects that gave researchers a much fuller picture of this early society.
The gold objects found at Arzhan display a style of animal figures, including deer and predators, that became closely linked to early Scythian art across Central Asia. Many of these pieces are now on display at the National Museum of Tuva in Kyzyl, where visitors can see them up close.
The site sits in a remote steppe in the Republic of Tuva and is best reached by a vehicle suited for rough roads. A visit to the National Museum in Kyzyl beforehand is strongly recommended, since the excavated objects are kept there and little remains visible at the mounds themselves.
Arzhan 1 measures roughly 390 feet (120 meters) across, making it one of the largest stone burial mounds of its period known in Central Asia. Its size suggests that a very large number of people must have taken part in building it.
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