Description : Arzhan (Russian: Аржан) is a site of early Scythian kurgan burials, located in the Tuva Republic, Russia, some 60 kilometers (40 mi) north-west of Kyzyl. Arzhan is situated on a high plateau, traversed by the Uyuk River, a minor tributary of the Yenisei River. Arzhan-1 was excavated by M. P. Gryaznov in the 1970s, establishing the origins of Scythian culture in the region in the 9th to 8th centuries BCE. Further excavations were conducted in 1997 and in 1998-2003 (Arzhan-2). Arzhan-2 turned out to be an undisturbed (unlooted) burial. The excavations showed burials with rich grave goods including horses and gold artifacts. The total number of kurgans is several hundred, arranged in several parallel chains. In 2017 the large royal burial mound Tunnug 1 (Arzhan 0) was investigated by a Russian-Swiss expedition. The burial mound dates to the same period as Arzhan-1.
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