Seven Brothers Kurgans and Gorodishche

an archaeological site featuring the remains of a large urban center and a burial ground of the Sindians. It is located on the lower Kuban’ River, 12–15 km west of the stanitsa (large cossack village) of Varenikovskaia, Krasnodar Krai, RSFSR. The kurgans, called the seven brothers because of their number, were investigated in the 1870’s by V. G. Tizengauzen. The excavations revealed tombs of unfired brick and stone dating from the fifth and fourth centuries B.C Within the tombs were burials of people and horses. They contained numerous funerary objects, including gold ornaments, Attic vases, gold and silver rhytons and kylixes, weapons, and horse harnesses.

The gorodishche (site of a fortified town) was investigated mainly by N. V. Anfimov from 1938 to 1940 and from 1949 to 1952. The site is trapezoidal in shape and has earthen banks, whose remains have been partly preserved on the eastern and western sides. The city originated in the late sixth century B.C. In the early fifth century B.C. it was surrounded by defensive walls with towers, which stood until the second century B.C. There are remains of a stone house dating from the third century B.C.(area, 420 sq m) with an inner court and a well. Local and imported Greek pottery was found within the house. The population engaged in farming, handicraft production, and trade.