Russian archaeologists find long-lost Jewish capital

Russian archaeologists say they have found the long-lost capital of the Khazar kingdom in southern Russia, a breakthrough for research on the ancient Jewish state.

"This is a hugely important discovery," expedition organiser Dmitry Vasilyev said from Astrakhan State University after returning from excavations near the village of Samosdelka, just north of the Caspian Sea.

"We can now shed light on one of the most intriguing mysteries of that period - how the Khazars actually lived. We know very little about the Khazars - about their traditions, their funerary rites, their culture," he said.