Archaeologists discover the ancient tomb of an armed-to-the-teeth knight


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The body of a 3,000-year-old knight was found buried at the Palidli necropolis in southwestern Azerbaijan during an excavation by archaeologists from the National Academy of Sciences, Azernews reports. The knight, who likely lived in the 12th or 11th centuries B.C., was armed excessively with three iron swords hanging from a bronze belt at his waist. The skeleton was also discovered with a bronze bracelet, a ring, and the figure of a horse's head, signifying he was from the ruling class. Pottery was also found buried in his grave.
The findings at the Palidli tomb are significant for a variety of reasons — mainly because while the tomb dates back to the late Bronze Period, the knight's swords indicate that the population in the region was clearly already using iron.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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