Republicstion from euromaidanpress.com

[A little belated news but this sword is a unique find for ancient weapon researchers.]

Gold-plated akinakes (Scythian dagger/short sword) with a leaf-ribbed grip, a cross-guard and a scabbard for the blade tip 

An intact grave of a Scythian warrior was the main find of the 2019 season at the excavation site at Mount Mamai burial grounds in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

In July-August, during excavations and exploration of a small mound on Mount Mamai, archaeologists came across a trench with remains of animal bones and small fragments of amphorae. These constitute clear signs of a mourning celebration characteristic of the Scythians and other ancient cultures.

Further excavation revealed two graves – a larger central burial pit and a smaller one. At first, the archeological team decided to clear the smaller one. It took almost three days.

While dusting and cleaning the contours of the pit, the archaeologists came across a rare gray clay amphora.

In the pit lay a skeleton, which, as later revealed by anthropologists, belonged to a young man aged 18-20 years.

Judging by the objects lying nearby, he was a Scythian warrior and horseman. The archeologists also discovered an iron axe, bronze and bone arrows, and bridle buckles. The most interesting artifact is a gold-plated akinakes (Scythian dagger/short sword) with a leaf-ribbed grip, a cross-guard and a scabbard for the blade tip.

[detail of the akinakes]

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