The Stepnoye VII burial ground is located on the left bank of the Uy River 300–400 meters east of the village fence of Stepnoye in Plastovsky district, Chelyabinsk region. In 2003, a team of the archaeological expedition of the Chelyabinsk State University and the Arkaim Museum-Reserve led by Elena Kupriyanova examined it. At the bottom of pit 17, in the center of the burial chamber, there was a burial of three people lying with their heads to the southwest. Two skeletons were lying in the “embrace pose” (the age of the buried persons was 15–17 years; it was possible to determine the gender — female — of only one of them), the third (a woman of 45–55 years of age) was a little farther away, facing the couple.

A massive bronze ax with traces of a wooden shaft was found against the wall of the chamber; a bronze adz with traces of winding was leaned on top of the blade. The objects were located in the area of the robber’s trapdoor, just above the floor of the chamber, and were probably dropped by the robbers. There were also several other small objects lying not in situ (on the site), 10–20 centimeters above the floor of the chamber and also left by the robbers: a stone arrowhead, a string of bronze beads from the destroyed part of the plait ornament and bronze “tweezers”.

The bronze plate flat ax has an elongated trapezoidal shape, rectangular in cross-section. It is a striking and chiseling tool, combining the functions of a chisel and a hammer at the same time. At the working end of the blade there are small flanges, the blade is rounded. The length of the tool is 10.9 centimeters, the width of the blade is 3.2 centimeters, the width of the end side is 2 centimeters, and the thickness is 5 millimeters. The blade has scratches and traces of sharpening. On one side of the item, near the end edge, there are traces of winding, perpendicular to the long sides of the tool, six coils are recorded. The traces are caused by some organic material (probably a leather strap), by means of which the item was attached to the shaft. The item is covered with dark brown patina. The butt has a rounded pothole.

The Stepnoye VII burial ground is located on the left bank of the Uy River 300–400 meters east of the village fence surrounding Stepnoye (Plastovsky District, Chelyabinsk Region). At the bottom of pit number 17, in the center of the burial chamber, there was a grave of people lying with their heads facing southwest. Two skeletons were placed side by side, the age of the buried was 15–17 years old; it was possible to determine the sex of only one of them, it was a girl. The third skeleton of a woman aged 45–55 was located a little further away, facing the couple. The hands of one of the buried teenagers clasped a bronze ax, the blade of which turned towards the second person.

The ax was an elegant product with harmonious proportions. The handle of the ax is only partially intact. The ax has an eye with a pickax protrusion on the poll. The 3.3 centimeters high spur is rhombic in cross-section. The ax wedge is long, the upper cheek of the ax is straight. The side edge bifurcates towards the back of the wedge, its edges extend to the lower and upper ends of the cutting edge. Inside the wedge there is a 6.8 centimeters long hole round in cross-section. The blade is hatchet-shaped, drawn downwards towards the end of the eye. The tip of the head is oval, inclined at an obtuse angle to the axis of the wedge. On the upper edge of the sleeve is a reinforced roller. On the “cheeks” of the eye, there are “plaques” in the form of “pearls”. The surface of the ax is polished and covered with a fine patina of green-brown color.

The grave is full of ceramic items: eight vessels and other burial implements were found there. One of the buried had a very rich outfit: bronze hemispherical plaques and beads stitched on the headdress, behind the back there was a plait ornament; pendants turned full and a half circle and wrapped in gold foil were attached to the headdress near the temples with bronze temporal rings. The buried man was adorned with a sophisticated face pendant. He was wearing one bronze bracelet on both hands, and a string of 12 amulets made of fox fangs and incisors on his right hand below the bracelet. Five bronze rings were on the fingers of the left hand: with no ring on the little finger and two rings on the ring finger. Another ring was found under the bones of the skeleton, near the shoulder blade. One string of bronze beads was on the buried man’s legs near the ankles.

The Stepnoye VII burial ground is located on the left bank of the Uy River 300–400 meters east of the village fence of Stepnoye in Plastovsky District, Chelyabinsk Region. The team of the archaeological expedition of the Chelyabinsk State University and the Arkaim Museum-Reserve led by Elena Kupriyanova studied it in 2003. At the bottom of pit number 17, in the center of the burial chamber, there was a grave of people lying with their butts facing southwest. Two skeletons were placed side by side, the age of the buried was 15–17 years old, it was possible to determine the sex of only one of them, it was a female. The third skeleton of a woman aged 45–55 was located a little further away, facing the couple.

A massive bronze ax was found against the wall of the chamber, east of the skull of one of the buried people; a bronze adze with traces of winding was leaned on top of the blade. The objects were located in the area of the robber’s trapdoor, just above the floor of the chamber, and were probably dropped by the robbers. There were also several other small objects lying not in situ (on the site), 10–20 centimeters above the floor of the chamber also left by the robbers: a stone arrowhead, a string of bronze beads from the destroyed part of the plait ornament and bronze “tweezers”.

The bronze ax with a hanging pole has a massive 6.1 centimeters wide butt, and a massive “ridge” with a sharp rib at the back. The eyelet for the hilt is oval and vertical, measuring 4.2 centimeters. At the top and bottom of the edges are small thickened rollers, partially extending into the head. The neck of the blade is long, oval in cross-section, with a 19.4 centimeters long rib along the inner side. Judging by long parallel strips it was mended at some point. Closer to the working end, the neck widens and ends with a rounded blade, 4.4 centimeters wide. Eight ceramic vessels and a lot of other burial implements were found in the grave: a plait ornament, a face pendant, two eye axes, bronze bracelets, amulets made of fox fangs and incisors, bronze rings and beads.