Cold shoulder tells story of people's past
One of my most memorable cruises as a guest speaker took us to Kerch, where today Putin's infamous bridge links Russia to the Ukraine.
We were there to visit a remarkable archaeological site, the 4th century BC Royal Kurgan. This is a Russian term for a grave covered by a mound or tumulus, the grave chamber being constructed of timber capped by boulders. Usually, they contain the remains of elite members of their community but they are such obvious features on the landscape that most were looted long ago for their opulent offerings.
The Scythian ice mummies of the Russia Altai, 2300 years old, had remarkable tattoos on the arms and shoulders. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Kurgans are found from Ukraine right across the Russian steppes as far as the Altai uplands, and are usually linked with people known to history as the Scythians. Now infra-red technology has been used to obtain detailed images of the tattoos on the body of a 50-year-old woman from an Altai kurgan. There, permafrost in the tombs has preserved bodies that are more than 2000 years old. These mummified remains have made it possible to recreate very precisely what those nomadic horse-riding warriors looked like, and warriors they were — one man had been scalped and killed with an axe. They certainly decorated their shoulders and arms with richly detailed works from the hands of outstanding tattoo artists. Animal scenes dominate, particularly antlered deer being attacked by predators that include real animals, such as the snow leopard, and fictitious beasts. Hunting scenes were also carved on to the wooden headdress of this man, showing a bird of prey, probably an eagle, devouring the head of a deer.
2300 year old carpet from an Altai kurgan.
Women too were interred with great wealth. In 1993 at the Site of Ukok, Russian archaeologists opened the kurgan of the so-called Ice Maiden. Her coffin was extended to make room for her felt hat, which was decorated with images of swans and cats covered in gold. Six horses were buried with her and one can admire their richly decorated harnesses.
One kurgan contained a four-wheeled cart, another a superb pile carpet that would have taken a single weaver at least 18 months to complete. The exterior panel is decorated with horse riders, and an interior panel with deer. There are also Chinese silks, one of which was embroidered with images of birds and flowers, and incorporated into a saddle cloth.
We are indeed fortunate that these artistic and vibrant people's graves have been deep frozen for at least 2000 years.
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Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Cold shoulder tells story of people's past
A reconstruction of the burial of Princess Ukok. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES One of my most memorable cruises as a guest speaker took us to Kerch, where today Putin's infamous bridge links Russia to the Ukraine. We were there to visit a remarkable archaeological site, the 4th century BC Royal Kurgan. This is a Russian term for a grave covered by a mound or tumulus, the grave chamber being constructed of timber capped by boulders. Usually, they contain the remains of elite members of their community but they are such obvious features on the landscape that most were looted long ago for their opulent offerings. The Scythian ice mummies of the Russia Altai, 2300 years old, had remarkable tattoos on the arms and shoulders. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Kurgans are found from Ukraine right across the Russian steppes as far as the Altai uplands, and are usually linked with people known to history as the Scythians. Now infra-red technology has been used to obtain detailed images of the tattoos on the body of a 50-year-old woman from an Altai kurgan. There, permafrost in the tombs has preserved bodies that are more than 2000 years old. These mummified remains have made it possible to recreate very precisely what those nomadic horse-riding warriors looked like, and warriors they were — one man had been scalped and killed with an axe. They certainly decorated their shoulders and arms with richly detailed works from the hands of outstanding tattoo artists. Animal scenes dominate, particularly antlered deer being attacked by predators that include real animals, such as the snow leopard, and fictitious beasts. Hunting scenes were also carved on to the wooden headdress of this man, showing a bird of prey, probably an eagle, devouring the head of a deer. 2300 year old carpet from an Altai kurgan. Women too were interred with great wealth. In 1993 at the Site of Ukok, Russian archaeologists opened the kurgan of the so-called Ice Maiden. Her coffin was extended to make room for her felt hat, which was decorated with images of swans and cats covered in gold. Six horses were buried with her and one can admire their richly decorated harnesses. One kurgan contained a four-wheeled cart, another a superb pile carpet that would have taken a single weaver at least 18 months to complete. The exterior panel is decorated with horse riders, and an interior panel with deer. There are also Chinese silks, one of which was embroidered with images of birds and flowers, and incorporated into a saddle cloth. We are indeed fortunate that these artistic and vibrant people's graves have been deep frozen for at least 2000 years.
Otago Daily Times
06-08-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Response to info dot trial ‘really positive'
Dotty discs have been prompting passers-by to pause and ponder the past. A series of "Did You Know" circles on and around King Edward St share stories from South Dunedin's past. Dream South D project lead Rosie Hill said the dots, installed in June as a temporary trial, had been well-received. "The reception and the feedback has been really positive." Anecdotal feedback suggests people enjoyed the markers and they have sparked local discussion. A local walking group used the online map on Dream South D's page to visit every marker. "I think the nicest feedback from that was that it had sparked off a lot of stories and people sharing their memories of the area." The short histories range from Chinese settlers who ran market gardens in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to profiles of retail stalwart Alex Campbell Menswear and architectural landmarks such as the Mayfair Theatre and St Patrick's Basilica. Dream South D is now opening the initiative to public submissions. "We are just trying to spread the message as wide as possible, working with schools and different groups." The initial panels focused on post-European settlement stories, but the plan is to expand them to include Māori history. "We will be in touch with mana whenua and make sure that is represented in an appropriate way." Submissions remain open until the end of November and the group aims to add new markers next year. "It will be interesting to see what comes in really and then we will produce a bunch more," Mrs Hill said. How the project evolves remains open-ended. "Whether we, for example, create a physical map or look at doing like an app with specific walking trails. "Maybe a little booklet or a resource that is left for the community." Dream South D is a five-year project funded by the Department of Internal Affairs — Te Tari Taiwhenua as part of its community-led development programme. Other projects planned by the organisation include a children's sports-gear swap and barbecue on Saturday, September 13, at King's High School. The organisation is also relaunching the South Dunedin Busking Festival. The event, organised by Nick Orbell and Craig Waterhouse, ran from 2017 to 2019. With their blessing, Dream South D plans to relaunch the festival. "They have been insanely generous and shared all of their previous information, which is wonderful." The festival is scheduled for Saturday, October 18, 11am-2pm, in King Edward St, to coincide with the Southern Heritage Trust's Heritage Festival. The Southern Heritage Trust and other committed community members would help organise the event, Mrs Hill said. • To contribute a "dots" submission, email hello@
Otago Daily Times
31-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Surgeons keep steady hands in 8.8 quake
A team of medics was in the middle of surgery in the Far Eastern Russian city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky when a very powerful earthquake shook their equipment and the floor beneath them. The medics used their hands to try to steady both the patient and their equipment during the 8.8-magnitude tremor on Wednesday (local time) CCTV footage released by the Kamchatka region's Health Ministry showed. "Despite the danger, the doctors remained calm and stayed with the patient until the very end," Oleg Melnikov, the minister, wrote on Telegram. He gave no details of the surgery but added that the patient was currently out of danger. Russian scientists said the quake off the coast of Kamchatka, which triggered tsunami warnings as far away as Hawaii, Japan and Chile, and alerts throughout the Pacific, was the most powerful to hit the region since 1952. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there had been no casualties in Russia from the quake, crediting solid building construction and the smooth working of alert systems. Still, there were scenes of chaos along Russia's remote and sparsely populated Far Eastern seaboard, and scattered reports of damage. Roman Kripakov, a chef in Severo-Kurilsk on Paramushir, one of the Pacific Kuril Islands chain, said he was at the cafe where he works when it began to shake. 'We ran out onto the street, and saw that all the buildings were trembling. Pipes, bricks, they were all falling down from the roofs,' he told Reuters 'Did I think about death? Yes, it did come to mind. I asked everyone for forgiveness, and recalled happy moments in my life. I wrote to my wife.' A verified video shot by a Severo-Kurilsk resident showed water engulfing a fish processing plant as it rushed inland, carrying a lightweight metal building and containers with it. A woman can be heard cursing as she laments the loss of the plant. "Our factory is sinking along with our seafood production," she says. Elsewhere on the Kamchatka Peninsula, video showed startled sea lions diving into the sea as the quake hit Antsiferov Island, just off the coast. The island is known as a natural habitat for Steller sea lions, a large, near-threatened species. Volcano erupts The Klyuchevskoy volcano on Russia's Kamchatka peninsula began erupting after the 8.8 quake, a geological monitoring service said. In a statement posted on Telegram, the Russian Academy of Sciences' United Geophysical Service said: "A descent of burning hot lava is observed on the western slope. Powerful glow above the volcano, explosions." Located about 450km north of the regional capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Klyuchevskoy is one of the highest volcanoes in the world. It has erupted several times in recent years.
