08-08-2025
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.
