KINGS AND GODS OF ASIAN SCYTHIA (Based on the Material of the Arzhan-2 Barrow)

The article is devoted to the reconstruction of the mythology of the nomads of the Tuva early Scythian times. An attempt to determine the status of a man and a woman buried in the burial of the Arzhan-2 mound is made on the basis of archaeological data and works on the reconstruction of the mythology of the Scythian-Saka tribes. The study showed that the man was a «king» with the attributes of Yima’s progenitor, and the woman was associated with the goddess of the royal hearthstone Tabithi. In addition, the role of gold in the funeral rites of early nomads and the correspondence of archeology and written sources are examined.