East2West NewsArchaeologists have made an incredible discovery after finding a 2,137-year-old ‘iPhone’ in a woman’s grave during a trip to ‘Russian Atlantis’.
The rectangular object was uncovered in a tomb which belonged to an ancient fashionista, who archaeologists are calling ‘Natasha’. It’s believed she lived during the Xiongnu period in ancient Mongolia during the 3rd century BCE.
Although the finders have described the object as looking just like a smartphone, the lookalike is actually made out of black gemstone jet and is encrusted with a collection of precious stones and jewels which could easily be mistaken for a high-end phone case.
East2West NewsAmong the stones encased in the inlay are turquoise, carnelian and mother-of-pearl.
Archeologist Dr Pavel Leus said:
Natasha’s’ burial with a Hunnu-era (Xiongnu) iPhone remains one of the most interesting at this burial site.
It’s thought that Natasha actually used the item to wear as a belt buckle, which I can only imagine would be like lugging a weight around your waist.
The academic continued:
Hers was the only belt decorated with Chinese wuzhu coins which helped us to date it.
It is actually slightly bigger than the average iPhone, at seven by three and a half inches.
East2West NewsThe item was discovered from the Ala-Tey Necropolis in the so-called Sayan Sea, a giant reservoir in the mountainous Russian Republic of Tuva, which also happens to be a popular holiday destination with Vladimir Putin.
It was found in the ‘Atlantis Necropolis’, which is usually submerged under 56ft of water, however it temporarily drains for a few months each year during the summer.
Dr Marina Kilunovskaya from the St Petersburg Institute of Material History Culture, who leads the Tuva Archeological Expedition, said:
This site is a scientific sensation.
We are incredibly lucky to have found these burials of rich Hun nomads that were not disturbed by (ancient) grave robbers.
East2West NewsThis isn’t the first time the team have made an incredible discovery – their previous expeditions have found two further prehistoric corpses, buried with the tools of their trade.
One of them was nicknamed ‘Sleeping Beauty’ which was originally believed to be a priestess, however she is now thought to have been a leather designer.
The second was a weaver laid to rest with her wooden spindle packed inside a sewing bag.
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Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.