Archaeologists working in Russia’s Valley of the Kings have discovered a rare set of millstones that could provide evidence of previously unknown Scythian rituals. The objects were found at Tunnug-1, an Early Scythian burial mound in Tuva, southern Siberia. The region contains a concentration of large ancient burial mounds that has earned it comparisons with Egypt’s famous Valley of the Kings.
Researchers from the Center for Rescue Archaeology at the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences announced the discovery on Sept. 7.
Archaeologists found the two millstones lying side by side while dismantling part of the mound’s stone covering in August. Their position indicated that they formed a complete set rather than separate stones reused as construction material. Researchers believe the objects may instead have been involved in religious ceremonies performed on the mound.
Rare millstones point to different Scythian rituals
The discovery stands out because previous evidence of ritual activity at Tunnug-1 has largely been associated with horses, horse breeding and mobility. The archaeologists explained that until now, all traces of ritual activity at Tunnug had been primarily associated with the cult of horsemanship, horse breeding, and mobility. The discovery of a set of millstones suggested that the surface of the burial mound may also have been used for rituals of a different kind.
Archaeologists at Russia’s “Valley of the Kings” have uncovered rare millstones at the 2,800-year-old Tunnug-1 burial mound.
The find points to previously unknown Scythian rituals, and may offer new clues about the diverse groups that built the ancient monument. pic.twitter.com/GZ1pR4PCkC
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) September 7, 2026
Millstones are rarely found in Scythian burial mounds. Researchers said previously known examples come from later sites built several centuries after Tunnug-1. The objects themselves have a much longer history in the region. Archaeologists have found millstones at Bronze Age sites in Tuva and neighboring areas. Research into the origins of the Scythians has pointed to considerable diversity among ancient populations of the Eurasian steppe.
Find may reveal who built the ancient mound
Researchers say the discovery could also provide clues about the people who built Tunnug-1. They believe different communities may have participated in its construction and brought their own traditions to the site. This once again indirectly confirmed that the Tunnug burial mound may have been built not only by inhabitants of the surrounding steppes, but by a broad confederation of tribes, each of which brought its own distant traditions to its construction, the researchers explained.
Archaeologists from St. Petersburg’s Center for Rescue Archaeology have worked at the site for nine field seasons with support from the Russian Geographical Society. Other discoveries from Iron Age burial mounds in southern Siberia have highlighted the importance of horses among ancient steppe communities.
The Greek historian Herodotus also recorded Scythian customs in the fifth century B.C. Modern research has supported parts of his accounts, including evidence that some Scythians consumed horse milk. The Tunnug-1 discovery now suggests that ritual life at the ancient mound may have extended beyond the horse-centered practices previously identified there.
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