A unique plaster mask, over 1,5 years old, was discovered by Tomsk archaeologists in Khakassia.
An undisturbed burial site belonging to the Tashtyk culture and dating to the 2nd-4th centuries AD was discovered by archaeologists from a joint expedition from Tomsk State University and the Hermitage Museum. The excavations took place at the Oglakhtinsky burial ground, a senior researcher at Tomsk State University told NeMoskva. Eugene Vodyasov.
According to Eugene, in the burial they managed to find a whole painted plaster mask, as well as wooden objects - dishes, models of weapons, and religious objects.
The discovery is unique because such fragile objects typically reach archaeologists only in fragments. These finds were preserved thanks to the sealed burial for 1500 years and the absence of moisture.
Modern geophysical methods helped archaeologists discover the valuable burial. Scientists conducted a magnetic survey of the burial ground and created a map of the magnetic field and its gradient. With this map, they were able to literally see the preserved burial through the earth.
In addition, magnetic surveys showed that the discovered burial is the last one remaining in the Oglakhtinsky burial ground.
