Solokha's Golden Comb

The Golden Comb from Solokha is a world-renowned masterpiece of ancient art, made of 294 grams of solid, high-purity gold. It was created in the late 5th or early 4th century BC (approximately 2,400 years ago), likely by a Greek master specifically for a member of the Scythian royal family.

The artifact was buried in a deep underground chamber within the Solokha Kurgan. It remained undisturbed for over two millennia until it was unearthed in 1913 by archaeologist Nikolai Veselovsky. The comb was found lying next to the remains of a Scythian king, indicating its status as a vital part of the royal funerary ritual.

The structure of the comb is unique because it combines a functional object with a complex historical sculpture. Above the 19 golden teeth sits a row of five reclining lions. Crowning the entire piece is a vivid battle scene: a mounted Scythian warrior and a foot soldier are shown in combat against a third enemy. The realism is so precise that you can see the individual scales of the armor and the expressions on the warriors' faces.