Moscow Region’s mammoth discovery: Archaeologists dig up fossils with buried ‘treasure’

Archaeologists have discovered an early settlement, bones and a skull of a mammoth containing treasure in the town of Zaraysk, in the Moscow Region, the press service of the regional Ministry of Culture said on Wednesday.

The site was discovered during excavations at the Zaraysk Kremlin State Museum of History, Architecture, Art and Archaeology in 2016, according to the statement. The Zaraysk site is the most ancient human settlement in the Moscow Region. Earthworks here have been conducted for several years with this year’s dig having kicked off in August.

"The skull of a mammoth was found with hidden treasure (flint makings and arms blanks). After that, archeologists discovered an early human settlement. Such a find is a rare thing in this area with the last discovery made in 2005," the press service added.

Researchers found large bones, teeth, tusk, and jaws of a mammoth during this year’s excavation, expedition head of Russian Academy of Sciences Archaeology Institute, Sergei Lev said. He pointed out that archeologists also uncovered a fireplace, full of burnt bones, as well as coal and crimson stains along the entire dig area, which mark the ground level where ancient humans lived.