Archeologists are re-examining a collection of objects from a burial mound in the Caucasus first excavated in the 19th century. The trove was from the Bronze Age and contained gold and silver tubes that were first thought to be sceptres or canopy supports. Now archaeologists believe these objects are actually the world’s oldest known drinking straws.
Professor Nikolai Veselovsky of St. Petersburg University excavated the burial mound in Maikop in 1897. Also called a kurgan, the burial mound quickly became famous for its rich burial and extensive cultural artifacts. Inside held a large chamber divided into three different-sized parts, each with the remains of an adult in a crouched position.
According to the archeologists, the main compartment contained the most important individual as it was furnished with the most luxurious set of offerings. The skeleton was covered in a rich garment, with hundreds of beads of semi-precious stones and gold. The rest of the compartment was full of grave goods such as a set of eight long, thin gold and silver tubes.
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