A large Scythian royal kurgan Gaimanova Mohyla [Gaiman’s Grave] dating to the 4th century BC situated near Balky in the Zaporizhia oblast of Ukraine was excavated in 1969–70. It was remarkable for its size over 8 meters high and about 80 meters in diameter. “Its enormous size, its sharp outlines against the flat steppe landscape, and its gleaming white stone facing emphasized the exceptional importance of the individual buried in it. Gaimanova Mogila served as a burial vault for Scythian royalty.” Remnants of carts and burial feast, four burials with seven human skeletons, over 250 gold ornaments, and numerous iron, bronze, wood, bone, and clay artifacts were unearthed at the site. The most noteworthy find was a gilded silver cup with a frieze depicting Scythian warriors. The cup was described in detail in one of the earlier articles on this site. Representation of griffins was found on several objects from the kurgan too. Other objects of special interest were the two bone combs:
