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In Photos: Young Couple Buried 4,000 Years Ago in Kazakhstan
Face to Face
The bodies of a young man and woman, possibly in their teens, have been found buried facing each other in a cemetery that dates back about 4,000 years in Kazakhstan. It's possible they were a couple in a romantic relationship. [Read more about the burial and excavation]
Gold jewelry
Buried with jewelry, some it made of gold, they may have been elite members of society. Archaeologists aren't sure what killed them.
Rich grave goods
A large gold ring that was likely worn as a bracelet. The richness of the jewelry in the grave reveals the wealth of the people who buried this possible couple.
Teen couple?
The bodies were found in a cemetery that contains the remains of humans and horses. Excavations and analysis are ongoing. While some media reports have claimed that a "priestess" was buried near the man and woman, a statement from the archaeologists makes no mention of this.
Mysterious artifact
A variety of artifacts were found buried with the man and woman. It's not clear what this artifact was used for, and analysis is ongoing.
Pottery
Numerous ceramics were buried with the man and woman. This piece of pottery has an interesting design.
In the cemetery
An intact pot found near the man and woman.
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Bone analysis
Excavating, identifying and analyzing all the bones found in the cemetery will take time.
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.