Istiatskaia Treasure

objects mostly dating from the third to the early second century B.C., found in 1886 near the village of Istiatskaia on the Vagai River (a tributary of the Irtysh River in Tiumen’ Oblast). The treasure is actually the remains of a sacrificial ground or sanctuary of one of the ancient local Ugrian tribes. The artifacts include a “large copper pot” (probably a Scythian-type cauldron), two gilded iron helmets containing 75 bronze plates with drawings scratched on them, two Chinese mirrors, a gilded silver Bactrian bas-relief depicting Artemis, representations of horsemen cast in bronze, and figures of wolves (intentionally broken).