A BIZARRE ancient burial uncovered in Ukraine has been revealed by scientists in a recent research paper.
Archaeologists were baffled when they discovered skeletons in a 1,000-year-old cemetery wearing huge necklaces with buckets at their feet.
1
Researchers Vsevolod Ivakin and Vyacheslav Baranov presented their study of the remains at the Archaeological Institute of America, according to Live Science.
The archaeologists worked with a team of other experts to make sense of the skeletal finds.
They wrote about how they found “spiral neck rings”, bronze bracelets, and brooches at the site.
Weapons were also found at the site as well as buckets placed at the feet of some of the deceased.
The 11th-century cemetery is located about 50 miles from the city of Kyiv.
Investigations first began at the site back in 2017.
To make sense of the findings, the researchers compared the grave goods to other burials.
They wrote: “Arms found at Ostriv are typical for Kyivan Rus’ and north-eastern Europe more broadly.
Most read in News Tech
“Other elements, such as buckets from two Ostriv male graves, are also found at 11th-century Prussian cremation and Pomeranian and Masovian inhumation cemeteries of military elites.”
A total of 107 graves were found and it’s thought most of the skeletons were initially buried in wooden coffins.
Both men and women were found at the site and it was the women that were buried with the unusual neck rings.
It’s thought the neck rings represented social status at the time.
Food offerings were also found in the cemetery, including chicken bones and egg shells.
Research continued at the site until 2022 but the excavation has been paused due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
