Araltobe Kurgan

The Araltobe kurgan is a burial ground found near Araltobe, Zhylyoi District, in northwestern Kazakhstan, thought to belong to a member of the post-Saka Sarmatian culture, and dated to the 3rd-2nd century BCE [1]. The mound was excavated in 1999 in the Atyraw region by archaeologists Zeinulla Samashev and Zhumash Dzhetybaeva [1]. They found the remains of a "Golden Man", who presents some parallels with similar "Golden men" found in Issyk kurgan or the kurgan at Shilikty [1]. Long swords with T-shaped pommel and long swords with mushroom-shaped pommel were discovered during the excavation [1]. About 400 gold objects were discovered in the tomb [1].