Image Gallery: Ancient Treasure Trove Discovered in Russia

Burial of a warrior

burial of male warrior in Caucasus

(Image credit: Courtesy Valentina Mordvintseva)

The grave of a male warrior who was laid to rest some 2,200 years ago in what is now the mountains of the Caucasus in Russia, shown here in a diagram of the warrior's skeleton and numerous artifacts.

With horses ... and a cow

burial of male warrior in Caucasus

(Image credit: Courtesy Valentina Mordvintseva)

The warrior was buried with gold jewelry, numerous weapons and three horses and a cow (1-3 and 4, respectively).

Warrior helmet

helmet of ancient warrior

(Image credit: Photo courtesy Valentina Mordvintseva)

This bronze helmet, found on the surface of the necropolis, depicts curled sheep horns carved in high relief. It is more than 7 inches long and 6 inches wide. It was found in fragments and had to be restored.

Helmet design

helmet of ancient warrior

(Image credit: Photo courtesy Valentina Mordvintseva)

The front of the helmet showing the curled sheep horns. While the helmet could have been worn in battle it's more likely it was meant for a burial.

Ancient helmets

helmet of ancient warrior

(Image credit: Courtesy Valentina Mordvintseva)

These drawings reconstruct what the helmet would have looked like in antiquity.

Zigzags and ridges

helmet of ancient warrior

(Image credit: Photo courtesy Valentina Mordvintseva)

This bronze helmet was also found on the surface and depicts zigzags, ridges and other shapes hard to put into words. It is more than 8 inches long and 6 inches in width.

Small decorations

helmet of ancient warrior

(Image credit: Photo courtesy Valentina Mordvintseva)

A side view of the helmet, the helmet flap appears to have triangle decorations engraved.

Top of helmet

helmet of ancient warrior

(Image credit: Photo courtesy Valentina Mordvintseva)

The top of the helmet contains a small hole.

Helmet drawings

helmet of ancient warrior

(Image credit: Photo courtesy Valentina Mordvintseva)

These drawings depict what the helmet would have looked like in antiquity.

Golden burial

artifacts from burial of male warrior in Caucasus

(Image credit: Photo courtesy Valentina Mordvintseva)

The burial of the warrior was richly adorned and contained more than a dozen gold artifacts. This fibula-brooch, despite being only 2.3 by 1.9 inches in size, contains intricate decorations leading towardthe center where a rock crystal bead is mounted.

Rock crystal

artifacts from burial of male warrior in Caucasus

(Image credit: Photo courtesy Valentina Mordvintseva)

A close-up of the rock crystal showing the channel that was drilled into it from both ends.

Owen Jarus
Live Science Contributor

Owen Jarus is a regular contributor to Live Science who writes about archaeology and humans' past. He has also written for The Independent (UK), The Canadian Press (CP) and The Associated Press (AP), among others. Owen has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Toronto and a journalism degree from Ryerson University.