A 2,100-Year-Old Skeleton With Belt Buckle Like iPhone Was Discovered in Tuva, Leaving Archaeologists in Awe

The burial site is located in the Russian republic of Tuva and is known as the ‘The Russian Atlantis’.

The woman has been jokingly named as ‘Natasha’ (Picture: IHMC RAS/Pavel Leus)

For most of the year, the area remains under water, draining only in May and June, when researchers get the opportunity to study the area.

They have named the woman ‘Natasha’ and the black rectangular object which is decorated with Chinese wuzhu coins as an ‘iPhone’, according to the Siberian Times.

The object is in fact a rather large belt buckle, and the coins which decorate it are believed to have been minted around 2,137 years ago.

The object is in actual fact an ancient belt buckle made of gemstone jet with inlaid decorations of turquoise, carnelian and mother-of-pearl (Picture: IHMC RAS/Pavel Leus)

The area is particularly interesting to archaeologists, who have previously discovered graves dating back to the era of Genghis Khan.

Along with ‘Natasha’, the grave of a leather designer, initially thought to be a priestess, has also been found.

Dr Marina Kilunovskaya from the St Petersburg Institute of Material History Culture, described the site as a ‘scientific sensation’.

She said her archaeological expedition team was ‘incredibly lucky’ to discover the ancient burial sites, which had avoided being found by grave robbers.