Pazyryk

Pazyryk, Scythian burial site in a dry valley opening on the Bolshoy Ulagan River valley in Kazakhstan. The site, which consists of five large and nine smaller burial mounds and dates from about the 5th to the 3rd century bc, was excavated in 1929 and 1947–49. It is perhaps the richest source of information about the customs and artifacts of the Scythians before their westward migrations into western Asia and Europe. Among items found were an embalmed man covered with tattoos, some of the oldest textiles extant, and pieces of what appear to be a harp and drum.