Historical Arsonists

They are believed to have originated either entirely or partially from a people known as the Xiongnu, who lived as nomads in Northern China as early as 100 CE. They are thought to have migrated west across the Eurasian Steppe and intermingled with another group of nomads from modern-day Iran called the Scythians.

In the 4th century CE, likely the time when the princely warrior found in the tomb lived and fought, the Huns invaded Eastern Europe and took control of the region from the Romans, who in turn wrote most of what we think we know about the Huns.

In the tomb, the warrior was buried with a bronze cauldron—supporting evidence for the practice of using cauldrons to elongate the backs of their skulls through ritual head binding. Practiced among the Hunnic nobility to make their physical characteristics separable from the commons, it’s one of the few points that archaeological and primary sources agree on.

Several Roman historians claim that the Huns spent nearly their whole lives on a saddle, sleeping, eating, and fighting there, while the task of learning how to ride began as soon as a toddler could walk without its mother’s assistance.

In strange contrast, historian Denis Sinor wrote in 1990 that no horse remains have ever been found in Hunnic graves. The presence of at least a partial horse skeleton in the warrior prince’s tomb could go a long way towards revealing further details about what kind of steeds they rode, and even where the steeds originated; which would give more evidence as to their genetic origin.

Ene told Live Science that the tomb is now half-excavated, and over the next few months, the bones and artifacts will be cleaned, investigated, and put on public display. WaL