‘Alien boy’ in Crimean tomb was a child Sarmatian fighter

An 'alien boy' with an elongated skull found in a tomb in Crimea in 2017 was a trainee ancient warrior, say archeologists. Elongated skulls were traditional in the Sarmatian culture. The artificially elongated skull was a sign of a 'true warrior'. The deformation process began early in childhood when the bones were still soft, and no surgery was needed. Wooden planks were tied to the skull, pressing the bones and gradually altering the shape. The boy from the second century AD is believed to have been aged between 18 months and two years old when he died. Discoveries were made at the Kyz-Aul necropolis in Crimea.