Barry Cunlife - The Scythians

shaft 1
the way of death
TOLSTAYA MOGILA
Shaft
niche 2
niche 1
A
3
1
4
2
niche 2
shaft 2
corridor
niche 1
B
11.6 The tomb of Tolstaya mogila showing the arrangement of the burials of the king and his retainers.
placed in the chamber some time after the original 11.6 burial. Since the entrance shaft
had been filled, this required the digging of a new shaft and tunnel to provide access
to the original chamber. The sequence of burials can best be interpreted by supposing
that the king had died first and was buried in the centre of the mound with his
horses nearby. Not long after a related female, perhaps a wife, died and was buried in
a newly dug chamber; later the two year old was buried next to her. If the child was
hers, which seems probable, then she may have died in childbirth or soon after. The
sequence at Tolstaya mogila is a reminder that there could be much variation behind
the simple narrative recounted by Herodotus.
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