October 3, 2022
[The Archaeologist] A princess with a tattoo of a griffin like creature buried with a cosmetic bag and six horses
In the vast expanse of the Altai Mountains, where Russia, Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan converge, there exists a world frozen in time. The permafrost, a relentless guardian of secrets, had long concealed tales of ancient peoples, their cultures, beliefs, and memories. In 1993, Russian archaeologists discovered an intriguing find on the Ukok plateau near the Russia-China border. They had received information about a grave robbery. Digging at the grave site, they stumbled upon a giant block of ice.
The team, led by Dr. Natalya Polosmak of Novosibirsk’s Institute of Archeology and Ethnography, began melting the block.
They found the mummified body of a 25-year-old princess known as the Siberian Ice Maiden. Polosmak and her staff found the princess had tattoos! Nestled within a burial mound on the Ukok Plateau, the Ice Maiden – often referred to as the 'Princess of Ukok' – offered a remarkable glimpse into the world of the Pazyryk people, a nomadic tribe that roamed the steppes more than 2,500 years ago. Impeccably preserved by the cold, the Ice Maiden’s still form lay accompanied by six horses, meticulously arranged in a radial pattern, symbolizing her status and significance in life. But it wasn't just her burial rites or the artifacts she was interred with that drew gasps of wonder and intrigue; it was the intricate designs that adorned her skin.
Her perfectly preserved body showed the customs of a long-ago society. I was intrigued by the symbolism of her tattoos when I first learnt about her.
What happened to her possessions and her companion horses? How could someone so young pass away? Was it a suicide or a sacrifice of a human?
My curiosity about this mysterious woman who passed away more than 2500 years ago was sparked by these queries.
Harnesses, saddle parts, and a table where a feast of fatty mutton had been preserved for 2500 years were found as the archaeologists started to melt the ice with buckets of hot water.
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