News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-11-08
A ROYAL SEPULCHRE.
The Golden Tomb Of an Ancient
King and Queen.


Thv grave Of a Syrian king and queen
has recently been discovered in the
Kuban, q district of the Russian pro
vince OF Ciscaucasia, near the Krinskaya
Railway station. The district abounds
with sepulchral mounds, and the Inn
perial Russian Archaeological Commits
sion has opened one. 1t was found to
cover a large vaulted building nearly
seventy feet long, divided into three
chambers and a corridor. The walls
were of thick stone flags about four feet
high, and similar flags, joined by
cement, formed the roof and floor.
The chambers varied III height from
seven to eleven feet. In the first
chamber reached, lying parallel with the
side wall, with its head to the east, was
the skeleton of young woman. About
the bones of the neck was heavy
circlet of gold, massive gold bracelets,
snake shaped, with horses heads at
tached to snakes bodies for ends,
encircled the arms, and a large gold
ring, with the effigy of the Muse Erato,
playing the Tyre upon it, was on finger
of the right hand. There was also gold
earrings of fine tilagree work, and gold
chain with lions head at the end.
Near the skeleton was found n thin,
triangular plate of gold, eight inches
broad, with holes in the corners, show
ing that it had been attached to the
dress. Stamped upon it was the figure
of young Scythian presenting drink
ing horn to a queen, who was richly
clothed, and wore a cap of material like
lace, with a small gold shield upon it.
Medusa heads, n chariot with horses,
and other figures are also represented
upon this plate. Near it lay sixteen
tiny pigeons cut from gold leaf, half an
inch wide, and fifty other objects, SINH
larly cut, resembling Medusa heads,
stars, and other figures.
The next chamber was empty and the
floor covered with ashes. Then came
the corridor, which was filled with stuc-
co, bearing the form of an antlered stag.
The bones of horse and arrangements
of harness lay at the end of the corridor,
and Mt the entrance of the third room
were broken pieces of amphore, upon
which the roof had fallen. This room
was four feet higher than the others.
The stucco work was of superior style.
The skeleton of n man with the head to
the east lay parallel with the side wall.
A.thick gold band weighing pound, tho
ends representing lions devouring wild
boars, was about the neck. Near the
skeleton were two silver quivers inlaid
with gold on which figures were drawn
with much skill. One quiver contained
100 copper arrows There was also a
Scythian sword with a gold handle and
a cylindrical stone for singing, through
which hole was bored. In one cor
ner of the room was large
nmphora with great copper dish by
it's side. Upon the dish were two silver
drinking cups, one with gold band
around the rim upon which birds were
carved. A copper shield was near by,
and there were several copper utensils
in the room and many glass beads, some
evidently of Egyptian origin and some
in the form of medallion, set in silver.
The value of the articles found is es-
timated at $25, and there is no
doubt that the vault is the burial
place of king and queen. All the ar
ticles found have been sent to the I'm
perial Museum at st. Petersburg.-NcoO
York Sun.