{
  "id": 14296737,
  "title": "2,000-year-old burial found in Russia near a human sacrifice and a cup to ward off magical threats",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/2-000-year-old-burial-found-in-russia-near-a-human-sacrifice-and-a",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-13T21:10:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Live Science",
    "slug": "live-science",
    "url": "https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/2-000-year-old-burial-found-in-russia-near-a-human-sacrifice-and-a-cup-to-ward-off-magical-threats"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In southern Russia's Kuban region, archaeologists have discovered a 2,000-year-old burial site of an elite warrior buried alongside his weapons and horse, along with evidence of a human sacrifice. The site, found within a necropolis of over 150 ancient graves, suggests the warrior held a prominent position within the social hierarchy. The grave also contained the remains of three horses, two cattle, a pig, a dog, and a fragment of a human pelvis, which is believed to have belonged to a sacrificed individual. Two gold coins, featuring Alexander the Great's portrait and similar to those minted during Mithridates Eupator's reign (135 to 63 B.C.), were also found in the burial. The coins, likely positioned as offerings to the gods, indicate the warrior's status as a noble from the Indigenous Maeotian people, who were allied with the Mithridatic Empire. The Mithridatic Empire, a Hellenistic-Persian kingdom and enemy of the expanding Roman Republic, was influenced by Greek traditions. The findings shed light on the Maeotians' beliefs and their connection to Greek culture during the first century B.C.",
  "summary": "A human sacrifice was found next to an elite warrior's 2,000-year-old burial in Russia.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}