A warrior's grave with ceremonial horse trappings of the late Sarmatian period in the Kurmoyarsky Aksay river basin

Kurgan 1 at Gremyachy III, which is a burial ground located in theKurmoyarsky Aksay River basin in the Kotelnikovo District, Volgograd Region, wasexcavated in 2013. The kurgan has yielded a warrior's grave dated to the Late Sarmatianperiod. Besides, a hiding place containing a bronze cauldron and items of ceremonialhorse trappings made in the North Pontic polychrome style of the Late Roman perioddating to the second half of the 3rd - 4th centuries was found under the kurgan mound.Based on the analysis of the funeral rite and the grave offerings dated to the first half -the middle of the 3rd century AD, as well as specific features of design and productiontechnology of the horse trappings, the assemblage examined appears to fall within themiddle of the 3rd century AD. Therefore, the set of the ceremonial horse trappings takes anearlier chronological position, as compared to similar items from Sarmatian and Bosporansites. Now it is the earliest trappings set made in the North Pontic polychrome style of theLate Roman period ever found in the North Pontic steppes, as well as in the Lower DonRegion and the Central Caucasus piedmonts.