Araltobe kurgan

The Araltobe kurgan (Ru: Аралтобе курган) is a burial ground found near Araltobe, Zhylyoi District, in northwestern Kazakhstan, thought to belong to a member of the post-Saka Sarmatian culture, and dated to the 3rd-2nd century BCE.^[2][3]

Araltobe barrow

Reconstruction of Sarmatian chieftain. Araltobe barrow, Kazakhstan, III-II c. BCE. Excavation of Z. Samashev.[1][2]
Shown within Continental Asia Show map of Continental Asia Araltobe kurgan (Kazakhstan) Show map of Kazakhstan
Coordinates	47°7′19″N 54°43′4″E
Type	Kurgan

The mound (Zhylyoi "Araltobe" necropolis 1-mound) was excavated in 1999 in the Atyraw region by archaeologists Zeinulla Samashev and Zhumash Dzhetybaeva. They found the remains of a "Golden Man", who presents some parallels with similar "Golden men" found in Issyk kurgan or the kurgan at Shilikty.^[2][4]

Long swords with T-shaped pommel and long swords with mushroom-shaped pommel were discovered during the excavation. These are types of "Scythian swords" usually found in the Scythian/Saka kurgans in Central Asia and Eastern Europe, but also known from Sauromations burials as in tumulus no. 3 of the Onaibulak graveyard, tumulus no. 1 and 2 of the Mortik graveyard, or tumulus no. 1 of the Araltobe graveyard.^[5]

About 400 gold objects were discovered in the tomb.^[3]

• 
  Bow and arrows from Araltobe barrow
• 
  Araltobe golden vest (detail)
• 
  Araltobe kurgan chief

See also

• Taksai kurgan
• Filippovka kurgans