Altai princess: myths and facts. "Altai princess" - a scientific sensation and a disturbed shrine

Princess of Altai (Ukoka)

- the name given by journalists and residents of the Altai Republic to the mummy of a woman discovered in 1993 by an archaeological team led by Natalia Polosmak in the Ak-Alakha-3 mound on the Ukok plateau (Altai Republic). This is one of the most significant discoveries of Russian archeology at the end of the 20th century.

The mound was a dilapidated monument, which in ancient times they tried to rob. In our time, the monument was destroyed due to the construction of border communications.

During the excavations, archaeologists discovered that the deck in which the body of the buried woman was placed was filled with ice. That is why the woman’s mummy is well preserved.

Research has shown that the burial dates back to the period of the Pazyryk culture of Altai, made in the 5th-3rd centuries BC. Researchers believe that the people genetically inhabiting at that time are close to the modern Selkups and Uyghurs. She died at a young age (about 25 years old) and belonged to the middle strata of Pazyryk society.

Well-preserved tattoos were found on the woman's body. Things, household utensils, etc. were also found in the mound.

Some residents of the Altai Mountains, after the discovery of the mummy, began to demand a ban on excavations in Altai and the reburial of the mummy.

They stated that the Altai people always knew the burial place of this woman, supposedly “Princess Kadyn,” and worshiped her as the ancestor of the Altai people. However, upon verification, all these facts were not confirmed. Currently the mummy is kept in Institute of Archeology and Ethnography

SB RAS (Novosibirsk).

The signs on the princess’s body and the details of the burial indicate that the Scythians, who inhabited Central Asia at that time, belonged to the high-level priestly strata.

Photo of the mummy of Princess Ukok

Experts have found that this is what Princess Ukok looked like during her lifetime National Museum

In the Altai Republic, reconstruction of the National Museum of the Altai Republic named after. A.V. Anokhin, to whom the mummy of a Pazyryk woman from the Ak-Alakha-3 mound on the Ukok plateau, discovered in 1993, should be transferred for storage. During 2008-2009, a new museum building should be built, with a specially equipped room for the mummy and accompanying grave goods. The director of the National Museum of the Altai Republic named after A. A.V. Anokhina Rimma Erkinova.

- Tell us about the main results of the museum’s work in the past year? What was most important in the life of the museum?

- The past year is notable for the fact that in April 2007, the head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Mass Communications, Communications and Security came to us cultural heritage Boris Boyarskov. He visited the Altai Republic, got acquainted with archaeological monuments, the museum, museum funds, their preservation and safety. He said: “Not bad! I didn’t expect that there was such a museum in the Altai Republic.” He saw our unique funds - collections of paintings by an outstanding Altai artist, a student of I.I. Shishkina G.I. Choros-Gurkina, and was very surprised by the rich collection. We took advantage of his visit to solve our old problem. In 1945, based on the order of the Altai Regional Council of Workers, Gurkin works were temporarily taken from the museum’s funds for display in Barnaul: 227 paintings and more than 2,000 unique drawings. Some of the paintings were returned, but the drawings remained. Today they are kept in the State

art museum

Altai region. He ordered his workers to study this issue so that the artist’s drawings would be returned to our museum. Last year the museum published several of its publications. Among them, a catalog of works by the original Altai artist N.I. was published. Chevalkova. His works are stored in Biysk, Barnaul, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk. For the first time, we published in full his works and 35 letters written to his teacher V. Gulyaev in the 1920s and still unpublished. In addition, this work reveals the completely forgotten Chevalkov, an illustrator of school textbooks.. We ended our year with this exhibition.

We also held a “museum night” for the first time in 2007, which was very popular with visitors, especially young people. We are constantly asked when the next “museum night” will be.

In 2007, we continued the restoration of the estate of the artist G.I. Choros-Gurkina in the village of Anos, Chemal region of the Altai Republic, where he lived and worked. Before the revolution, this was one of the most famous places in Siberia. His paintings were included in the first art collections of many Siberian museums. And of course, in 2007 we lived in anticipation of the start of the reconstruction of our museum.

- How did you perceive the decision that a repository for the Ukok mummy would be built?

- We expected this decision. But when I was invited to the government and informed, it was a great joy. This was before baptism, before the 19th, and we took it as a good sign. We are grateful to our Ukok “princess”.

If she had not been found, the question of reconstructing the museum would have lasted even longer. The issue of reconstruction of the museum and the return of the mummy is being animatedly discussed in Gorno-Altaisk, in newspapers, on television, and on the radio. He excites and interests everyone.

- How will construction affect the work of the museum in 2008?

- We must be prepared for a kind of “evacuation” of the museum’s funds and are considering premises that meet the requirements for the safety and security of museum objects and collections. A weekly meeting is held at the level of the Minister of Regional Development of the Altai Republic, the chief architect of the project and the contractor. The project is very interesting. A lot of money was allocated. It is very difficult to master such a significant volume within one year and construction will be intense.

- Will temporary exhibitions of the museum be open during construction work?

- In the new drama theater, where there is a good exhibition hall, perhaps we will hold art exhibitions. Historical collections will not be displayed due to lack of space. The famous Princess Ukok will be returned to the Altai Museum... We turn 90 this year. The first collections were acquired in October 1918 on the initiative of G.I. Choros-Gurkina, and from this we count the history of the museum. We have postponed our anniversary events to next year V

new museum

- Today the museum is visited by 25 thousand people a year, and the dynamics are positive. I think that after the reconstruction, visits to the museum will increase by 2-3 times. The new museum will have a recreation area, a cafe, a souvenir shop, and so on, and after a long journey you can relax and calmly walk around the museum. We have provided for all this.

The mystery of the death of the Altai princess remains unsolved....

A separate storage facility is created for the mummy - a mausoleum. That's what we call it conventionally. But not like in Novosibirsk, where it lies in a glass display case, you can walk around it in circles and stare. The display of human remains in a museum must be done with great tact and respect for the human dignity that is inherent in all peoples. In the minds of the local population, “Princess Ukok” embodies the image of the Ancestress and ancient Patroness of the Altai peoples, rough treatment towards whom and, in particular, her forced separation from her native land are still perceived very painfully and acutely. Excavations on the Ukok Plateau have once again sharpened the problem of the irreparability of errors in the management of cultural heritage.

The body of a woman from the Pazyryk culture will lie in a sarcophagus in a special room where her clothes, headdress and other funerary items will be exhibited. Nearby there will be a reconstruction, perhaps, of one of the moments in the life of the Ukok princess, or the moment of her burial.

- Do you think the mummy will be returned to the museum next year?

- This question interests the entire population of the Altai Republic and our guests. In your article we read that academicians Vyacheslav Molodin and Anatoly Derevyanko agree to hand over the mummy if conditions for storage are created. I myself participated in negotiations between the Republican Ministry of Culture and the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Akademgorodok in 1998. They agreed to hand over the mummy if conditions for its storage were created. At that time, the question was about returning only one mummy, without the accompanying inventory. We believe that this does not comply with either ethical or legal standards.

But, nevertheless, we began to prepare the premises. When it was 80% ready, the local Ministry of Culture raised the issue of returning the mummy. In response, it was stated that the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography exceeded its authority by participating in the negotiations, and this issue would be considered at the level of the Presidium of the SB RAS.

This situation with the return of the mummy escalated again in 2003, during the earthquake. Then there were several thousand requests. Ordinary residents and deputies from the affected areas wrote to all authorities about returning the Altai mummy to its place. In the minds of the people, this is not only a “biological object,” as scientists say, but this is a princess, an ancestor. They even say that the epic Ochi-Bala is a heroic girl who saved her people during the invasion of foreign enemies.

Bringing her back is a very painful issue. Of course, there were discussions about burying the mummy, but I, as a museum worker and guardian of cultural heritage, insisted on bringing it to the museum and creating all the conditions for its storage. Many agreed with my arguments. Thanks to them and all the people, and our friends from Germany, Switzerland, Italy, America, Japan and Korea, who sincerely wanted to see her in Altai, and even wanted to create a fund in her name, to raise money for the construction of the mausoleum. I think that they will be happy to help us resolve some issues today.

The Ukok princess is an integral part of the cultural heritage of the peoples of the Altai Republic. We treat her with great respect. And when she is solemnly brought into the National Museum, all the honors due to such a person will be observed.

- Do you think the return of the mummy will increase the importance of the museum?

- And now the National Museum plays a big role. We have a comprehensive museum, there are good collections on archaeology, ethnography, nature, and an excellent art collection. When employees from the Russian Museum, who supervise art museums in Russia, came to us, they were surprised at our small but well-chosen collection. We not only store, but also purchase works of artists. They included us in the list of art museums in Russia, which is very important for us.

Naturally, the importance of the museum will increase even more with the arrival of the mummy. We can become one of the wonders of Russia. In Altai you cannot relax like in Turkey or Egypt, lie on the hot sand, swim in the sea. Here nature has created unique conditions for active, educational tourism. And the museum will become the starting point for all routes along the obvious and secret paths of Altai

- Does the museum organize its own archaeological expeditions? What plans do you have for studying the archaeological heritage and participating in the protection of monuments?

- In the 1980s, the museum had its own archaeological team. Museum archaeologists had Open Sheets and went to emergency excavations during the construction of roads or sheds. In the 1990s, due to lack of funds, our expeditions stopped working. Large scientific centers such as Novosibirsk, Kemerovo, Barnaul, etc. can now afford archaeological expeditions. The National Museum, along with our state university and the Institute of Altaic Studies, should have its own archaeological expedition in the future.

I think that our Government will not miss the chance to give local scientists the opportunity to participate with dignity in all projects related to archaeological excavations.

We don’t really like the attitude of some scientists who believe that big science cannot develop in the republic. Sooner or later we will resume work on the mounds due to the fact that the settlement and construction zone is increasing due to the intensive growth of the tourism industry. Archaeological finds should be kept and exhibited in the National Museum. For this purpose, additional storage facilities, laboratories, and exhibition halls are being built that meet international standards.

History lessons:

File:Ukok princess reconstruction.jpg

Experts suggest that this is what Princess Ukok looked like during her lifetime

Princess Ukoka (Altai princess, Ochy-bala) is the name given by journalists and residents of the Altai Republic to the mummy of a young woman, approximately 25 years old, found during archaeological excavations at the Ak-Alakha burial ground in 1993. The woman's cause of death was breast cancer. According to the beliefs of the indigenous population of Altai, the “princess,” also called Ak-Kadyn (White Lady), is the guardian of peace and stood guard over the gates of the underworld, preventing the penetration of Evil from the lower worlds.

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Altai (Scythian) princess of Ukok

Aryan Princess - Mummy of Ukok from the Altai Republic - Eyes of the Bala - Princess Kadyn

Subtitles

History of the find

File:Mumiya-3.jpg

Photo of the mummy of Princess Ukok

…Aristaeus, the son of Caistrobius from Proconessus, in his epic poem reports how he, possessed by Phoebus, arrived at the Issedonians. According to his stories, behind the Issedons live the Arimaspi - one-eyed people, behind the Arimaspi - vultures guarding gold, and even higher beyond them - the Hyperboreans on the border with the sea.

The authors of this assumption connect the neighbors of the “one-eyed people”, referred to as the “gold-guarding vultures” of Aristeas, with the Pazyryk people on the basis that “in Pazyryk mythology the image of the eagle-headed griffin played special role» .

Also, ancient Chinese sources mention the “territorially close population of Altai” [ ] .

The study of the “frozen” graves of Altai began in 1865 by V.V. Radlov.

Excavations of the Ak-Alakha-3 mound on the Ukok plateau (Altai Republic), in which the so-called princess was buried, began in 1993 by Natalya Polosmak, an archaeologist from Novosibirsk, Doctor of Historical Sciences. The mound was a dilapidated monument, which in ancient times they tried to rob. In our time, the monument was destroyed due to the construction of border communications. By the beginning of the excavations, the mound was in a semi-disassembled state and looked ruined: in the sixties, during the conflict with China, a fortified area was built in this area, the materials for which were taken from the mounds.

A burial of the Iron Age was discovered in the mound, under which there was another, more ancient one. During the excavations, archaeologists discovered that the deck in which the body of the buried woman was placed was filled with ice. That is why the woman’s mummy is well preserved. The lower burial was walled up in a layer of ice. This aroused great interest among archaeologists, since in such conditions very ancient things could be very well preserved.

The burial chamber was opened for several days, gradually melting the ice, trying not to harm the contents.

In the chamber they found six horses with saddles and harnesses, as well as a wooden larch block nailed with bronze nails. The contents of the burial clearly indicated the nobility of the buried person.

Research has shown that the burial dates back to the period of the Pazyryk culture of Altai and was made in the 5th-3rd centuries BC. Researchers believe that

Genetics

An analysis in 2001 showed that representatives of the Pazyryk culture are closest in mitochondrial DNA to modern Selkups and Kets.

Appearance

The mummy lay on its side with its legs slightly pulled up. She had numerous tattoos on her arms. The mummies were wearing a white silk shirt, a burgundy woolen skirt, felt socks, and a fur coat. Also special is the complex hairstyle of the deceased - it was made of wool, felt and her own hair and was 90 cm high. All these clothes were made of very high quality and indicate the high status of the buried person. She died at a young age (about 25 years old) from breast cancer (during the examination a tumor in the breast and metastases were discovered) and belonged to upper strata Pazyryk society, as evidenced by the number of horses buried with her - 6.

Based on the remains of the skull, a bust of three copies was recreated. One is kept in a museum in Novosibirsk, the second, for the purpose of compromise, was transferred to the Altai National Revival Society (until the mummy was returned after all the research). The third copy was transferred to Pushkinsky historical Museum in Moscow (until now it is not represented in the museum’s exposition).

Location

After the discovery and until 2012, the mummy was kept in the museum of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in Novosibirsk Akademgorodok. This fact displeased some Altaians. From the point of view of the dissatisfied, the “Princess of Ukok” should have been returned to Altai: some believed that it was enough to return the mummy to the territory of the republic, while others believe that it should be buried again in its original place.

Since September 2012, the mummy has been stored in the new hall of the Anokhin National Museum (Altai Republic, Gorno-Altaisk), specially built for storing the exhibit, in a sarcophagus with equipment for maintaining and controlling special temperature and humidity conditions. A special extension was built for the exhibit.

On August 19, 2014, it became known that the Council of Elders of the Altai Republic decided to bury the mummy. This decision was approved by the Head of the Republic. The decision on burial was due to the fact that part of the population of the republic considers the extraction of the mummy from the mound to be the reason natural Disasters that fell on Mountain Altai in the last two decades (especially the cause of severe flooding and large hail that occurred in Altai at the end of 2014). In turn, Emilia Alekseevna Belekova, acting. O. Director of the National Republican Museum named after A.V. Anokhin, questioned the competence of the Council of Elders of the Altai Republic in this matter, pointing out that resolving such issues falls within the competence of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

“Today, the mummy of the “princess” has been transferred to us for temporary storage. The owner of this biological object is the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of the SB RAS (Novosibirsk). So we only store it temporarily,” Belekova said. She noted that the museum, elders and even the authorities of the republic will not be able to dispose of the mummy as they wish without the decision of its owner.

“All things found during excavations are federal property and it was transferred to the Novosibirsk Museum of Archeology and Ethnography for indefinite use. All this should be decided through the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. And the fact that the elders got together and decided has no legal force,” Belekova said.

In December 2015, several Altai residents filed a lawsuit with the Gorno-Altai City Court for the burial of the “princess”; The defendant in the case was the museum where the mummy is kept. However, the court refused to satisfy the claim. President of the spiritual center of the Turks “Kin Altai”, shaman Akai Kine, who was one of the initiators statement of claim, filed a cassation appeal against the court's decision and promised that in the event of another refusal, he could complain to the international court.

Opinion of Vyacheslav Molodin

Film "Revenge of the Altai Princess"

Alena Zharovskaya’s film “The Revenge of the Altai Princess,” shown on Channel One, is characterized as far ahead of the republican newspapers in terms of the amount of gags and mystical nonsense .

The image of the “Princess of Ukok” in literature

• Anna Nikolskaya. "Kadyn is the mistress of the mountains." Publishing house "Game of Words", 2011
• Irina Bogatyreva. "Kadyn". Publishing house "Eksmo", 2015
• Irina Bogatyreva. "Moon-faced mother of the maiden." Publishing house "Ast", 2012 (The first part of the novel "Kadyn", published in the series "Winners of the International Prize named after S. Mikhalkov").
• Tatyana Volobueva, Barnaul. "Kadyn". www.stihi.ru/2014/08/27/4688

see also

Links

• “Evening Novosibirsk” about the “Altai princess” and the 1993 earthquake.
• http://www.trud.ru/trud.php?id=200312182340601 Article in the newspaper “Trud”.
• “News of the Altai Territory” The mummy of the “Altai princess” is kept in the Anokhin Republican Museum.
• “News of the Altai Territory” Visitors to the museum in the Altai Republic will see instead of a mummy a mannequin of Princess Ukok; the mummy itself will be stored in a sarcophagus in a storage room.
• NTV TV film from the series “Mysterious Russia”. 
• "Mountain Altai.  Gateway to Shambhala." 
• The broadcast took place on Saturday, 09/10/2011
• "News of the Altai Territory" The mummy of Princess Ukok is finally placed in the museum named after. Anokhin in Gorno-Altaisk and placed in a sarcophagus (article and photo).

“Residents of the Altai Republic demand to bury Princess Ukok” A collection of signatures is underway in the Altai Republic in support of this decision (article)

1. "News of the Altai Territory" The decision to bury the mummy of the Altai princess was made by the Council of Elders of the Altai Republic

Notes Princess Ukoka: diagnosis after 2500 years It was a crossing point for many tribes and peoples, and this has been fully confirmed by archaeological research. Found here historical monuments starting from the Middle Ages and further - the Bronze, Iron Ages and even further - including the Paleolithic era. Many finds have made it possible to better learn about the tribes inhabiting Altai in

stone Age , their connections with nomadic tribes, the peculiarities of the culture and life of the peoples of the Scythian and Hun-Sarmatian periods. But the truly sensational discovery that made Ukok famous throughout the world was made in the summer of 1993 by a young Novosibirsk archaeologist, Natalya Polosmak. Expedition of the Novosibirsk Institute of Archeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch

Russian Academy

In the pit of the lower burial, a larch frame was discovered, covered with tightly fitted logs. A wooden sarcophagus, hammered with four bronze nails and decorated with leather appliqués, was frozen into the ice that filled the chamber. In the sarcophagus, on a mat of black felt, lay the mummy of a woman.

All the clothes were perfectly preserved: a silk shirt, a woolen skirt, a wicker belt with tassels, white and red felt stockings, a fur coat. The woman's wig literally amazed the imagination - a complex structure made of horsehair, wool, felt, fabric, leather, carved decorations, gold foil, with a high wooden frame. The mummy's arms were covered from wrists to shoulders with an elaborate blue tattoo; the drawings intertwined real and mythical animals, including the legendary griffin. The woman's wrists were decorated with pearls, and gold earrings were placed in her ears. There were also items made from wood, deer antler, and silver clay: a mirror, various vessels, carvings fantastic and real animals and birds.

Six saddled golden-red horses in rich harness were buried nearby.

The age of the burial was determined to be about two and a half thousand years, that is, the middle of the first millennium BC. Judging by the objects and clothing found, the woman belonged to the Scythian high nobility, possibly to the clan of priests and shamans, “chosen ones of the spirits.” And the woman dubbed the mummy itself “Princess of Ukok,” after the name of the plateau on which the mummy was found. There was another big name - “ Altai princess».

However, the excavations of Princess Ukok caused a lot of noise. When information about the discovery of a unique mummy was made public, Altai shamans said that this was not news to them. For a long time they knew about this mound in which an Altai woman was buried. For them, this burial is truly sacred, since shamans consider her the ancestor of the Altai peoples named Kadyn.

According to legend, the “Altai princess” Kadyn guards the gates of the underworld and makes sure that the forces of evil do not penetrate our world. Accordingly, when archaeologists opened Kadyn’s burial in 1993, they disturbed her sacred sleep. At the same time, according to legend, the burial was protected by a terrible curse. Therefore, in order to remove it as quickly as possible, the mummy’s body must be returned to the Ukok plateau and never be disturbed again.

Scientists did not pay attention to these legends and the mummy of Princess Ukok was transported for study to Novosibirsk, to the Museum of the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography, and then, in 1995, to Moscow, where employees of the research institute at the Mausoleum of V.I. joined the research. Lenin.

Mummy of an Altai princess from the Ukok plateau

Due to the fact that the mummy was well preserved, scientists determined that this woman died at a young age - she was about 25 years old. The presence of tattoos on the woman’s body was also unusual.

This is how Natalya Polosmak described the tattoos of Princess Ukok in her expedition diary: “ On the left shoulder there is a fantastic animal depicted: a deer with the beak of a griffin, the antlers of a deer and a capricorn. The horns are decorated with stylized griffin heads: a similar head is placed on the back of the animal, with a twisted body. Below, a ram is depicted in the same pose with its head thrown back; at his feet is the closed mouth of a spotted leopard with a long curled tail. Below the leopard is a fantastic beast; it has clawed paws, a long striped tail of a tiger, the body of a lying deer, and the head of a griffin grows from its back. On the wrist, the head of a deer with large branched antlers is clearly visible.».

Moscow anthropologists managed to restore the appearance of Princess Ukok. Facial reconstruction made it possible to establish that she does not belong to the Mongoloid races that lived in this territory in ancient times. The woman's appearance resembled a European one. These conclusions were later confirmed when a DNA study of the Altai princess was completed.

Moreover, scientists conducted a serious tomographic study of the mummy and came to the conclusion that the 25-year-old “princess” died of cancer. She developed stage IV breast cancer. Chemical analysis of the tissues showed that the woman regularly inhaled mercury and copper vapors - this could well have caused illness and death.

Most likely, the inhalation of toxic fumes occurred during certain rituals and this assumption suggests that Princess Ukok was not a “princess”, but someone from the priestly caste. A headdress found on a woman's mummy suggests she had magical powers.

When scientists concluded that the woman’s mummy did not belong to the Mongoloid race and could not belong to the Scythian people, the “Altai princess” had many biographies, one more incredible than the other: a representative of a race unknown to science, the living embodiment of the legendary “Children of Heaven” and even the ancestor of humanity , having flown from distant stars.

Myths and speculation around Princess Ukok

In Altai folklore there is ancient legend, according to which at the foot of the great Tabyn-Bogdo-Ola mountains, there is a special world, the “second layer of heaven,” inhabited by the “Sons of Heaven.” According to this legend, even before the arrival of the Scythians, creatures who came from the stars and possessed supernatural abilities lived here. And somewhere among the peaks of Tabyn-Bogdo-Ola lived the mysterious Huandi with his tribe. According to Scythian legend, Huangdi was on the plateau for several years. Then he and his people “entered the fire-breathing dragon,” which was cast from copper, and flew away to his planet Tayanar.

The “Sons of Heaven” were endowed with many supernatural abilities - they could fly, be invisible, and command any spirits. The “Sons of Heaven”, as a rule, patronized people. It happened that they even entered into marriages with certain outstanding personalities, as a result of which great heroes and people with enormous magical abilities were born.

Thus, the Altai princess Kadyn could be a descendant of such a mixed marriage and be a high-ranking priestess.

Local residents were very concerned about the discovery and opening of the tomb, believing that archaeologists had disturbed the peace of the gods and this could result in serious trouble. Interestingly, when the recovered mummy of the Altai princess was transported by helicopter to Novosibirsk, something happened an emergency situation and the helicopter made an emergency landing. It was perceived local residents as a sign, as a first warning.

Perhaps the rumors and speculation around the Altai princess would have stopped, but in September 2003 there was a strong earthquake. Powerful tremors shook the entire Altai, reaching neighboring regions, including Novosibirsk. The epicenter of the earthquake was in the Chui steppe region, which is very close to the Ukok plateau.

Among the local population they started talking again that the cataclysm was directly related to the ruined grave of the “Altai princess” and if it was not returned immediately, a real catastrophe would happen.

The conversations grew into very real numerous demands addressed to the authorities of the Altai Republic - to return the Kadyn mummy to native land! True, opinions differed on how exactly to do this: is it enough to place it in the Gorno-Altai Museum, or should it be necessary to organize a protected museum area right on the plateau, or even put Kadyn back into the grave and restore the burial to its original form.

Where is Princess Ukok now?

In 2012, the mummy of Princess Ukok was taken from Novosibirsk to Gorno-Altaisk, to the A.V. Anokhin National Museum for a special purpose. The return took place in accordance with the beliefs of the indigenous Altai people and taking into account professional and ethical standards– her body was accompanied by shamans.

In 2015, a special sarcophagus was made, similar to the one in which the mummy was located in the mound.

You can see the mummy of the Altai princess - she is on display only 3 hours a day. On Wednesday and Sunday, starting June 8, 2016, from 10-00 to 13-00, visitors can view not the sarcophagus, but the mummy of Princess Ukok itself.

Description of the mummy of Princess Ukok (how archaeologists found it)

The head of the woman found in the deck was wearing a wig the size of a third of the deck and was directed to the east; her legs and arms were slightly bent at the knees and elbows. The mummy's face was facing north and was in a sleeping position.

The hairstyle has been preserved. The black mass wig was covered with horsehair. The wooden braids, sewn with 15 wooden figurines of birds and the wooden cockade of a lying deer, which decorated the wig, were covered with gold foil. The symbol of the “tree of life” was attached to the wig - a long, over 60 cm, felt petal on a wooden stick-frame, covered with black fabric. (a tall headdress with gold braids of complex shape speaks of the magical power of the “Princess of Altai”)

A lock of hair gathered at the top of the head was decorated with a cover made of red wool, with a bronze pin stuck into it, the top of which was a wooden deer standing on a ball. The pommel was covered with gold foil.

To the left of the woman, at the hip, they found a mirror in a solid wooden frame with a handle, in a cover made of red felt and white. A hole was made in the handle, probably for attaching the mirror with a strap, which has not survived. The surface of the mirror was a square bronze plate.

Next to the mirror was a scattering of beads of different colors, made of glass and paste, as well as a molar human tooth. Below the beads was a black tassel made of horsehair.

Princess Ukok's cosmetic set included, in addition to a brush and beads, a handful of scattered iron phosphate powder, vivianite (a bright blue-green mineral) and a thin rod made of flat metal rings with vivianite inside.

The earrings in the woman’s ears are made of gold wire in the form of rings.

The neck was decorated with a hryvnia in the form of a curved wooden plate, to which were attached eight three-dimensional figures of winged leopards carved out of wood, covered with gold foil.

The woman was dressed in a yellowish silk shirt, her hands were covered with sleeves. The silk shirt was cut unusually wide for Scythian times and was knee-length. The shirt was used before the burial - it has rough stitches and a patch.

The woman was wearing a woolen garment made of three stripes, two red and one white. long skirt, to which was sewn a thick, long twisted red wool belt with tassels (archaeologists believe that such a belt is a sign of an initiate). Five small bronze pendants were found on the skirt.

A felt cushion was placed under the head, stuffed with felt, scraps of fur, grass and scraps of woolen rope.

On the legs, up to the groin, they wore felt stockings, decorated on top with a strip of cut out red felt figures. Footprints made of red fabric were sewn on the bottom.

On the surviving parts of the woman’s arms, the tattoo was clearly visible from the fingers and hand to the shoulder. Very important detail there were thin ropes of wool on the little fingers. There is a known custom when the black and white rope connecting the deceased with one of the relatives was cut in order to break the connection between the deceased and the living.

The bedding in the deck was dark felt, sewn from two pieces. It is possible that in the past it served as a curtain for a bed, as it has felt loops.

Everything that was in the deck was covered with a blanket of fur with gold foil figures somehow attached to it in the past.

During excavations, dishes and vessels made of ceramics, yak and mountain goat horns, raised upward by freezing ice, were found in the burial. Inside a wooden mug with a handle of two leopards, made from a single piece of wood, lay a whorl for shaking milk.

In addition, the burial found: a stone saucer filled with coriander seeds, table dishes made of solid pieces of wood with the remains of meat food and an iron knife stuck into the sacrum of the foal. The knife handle is decorated with fantastic animals.

How to see the mummy of Princess Ukok

If you are interested in the history of Princess Ukok and are planning a vacation in Altai, then you can immediately stop at the base where excursions to the desired museum are organized. See the bases that will help you see the mummy of Princess Ukok.

On July 31, 1993, during excavations of a mound on the Ukok plateau, a woman’s mummy was discovered. Subsequently, she was nicknamed Princess Kadyn, “White Lady” and Altai princess. On the anniversary of the discovery, the site answers the most important questions about who Princess Ukok is and what mystical powers (and why) are attributed to her.

Mummy of the "Princess of Ukok" Ak-Kadyn.

Who is Princess Ukok?

Archaeologists found the famous Altai mummy in a plundered lonely mound on the Ukok plateau. Under the ruined grave, scientists discovered another burial: under the log ceiling there was a wooden sarcophagus, the remains of six horses and household utensils, writes “My Planet”.

The mummified remains of an embalmed 25-year-old girl were found in a sarcophagus under a layer of ice. She was wearing a silk shirt, a woolen skirt, a wig and a headdress. On the mummy’s left hand there are four tattoos, the largest of which is a deer with the beak of a griffin and the horns of a capricorn.

Subsequently, researchers found that the young woman died of breast cancer about 2.5 thousand years ago.

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Is it true that the famous mummy is a princess?

Vyacheslav Molodin, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, believes that the famous Altai mummy should not be called a “princess,” writes the Altai Tourist website. According to the researcher, the girl belonged to the middle layer of Pazyryk society.

Scientists suggest that the woman was either a shaman or a cult minister.

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Was Princess Ukok the ancestor of the Altai people?

With the help of reconstruction, anthropologists were able to recreate the woman’s face in 1995, reports “My Planet”. Scientists are sure: she is a representative of the Caucasian race. These findings were confirmed by DNA studies. Director of the Novosibirsk Museum of Archeology and Ethnography SB RAS Irina Salnikova is sure that the White Lady could not be the ancestor of the Altai people, writes RIA Novosti.

Tatyana Sazhaeva.

Curse of the Mummy: what cataclysms are associated with the wrath of the White Lady?

The author of the article reports that he was a participant in the excavations during which the mummy of Princess Ukok was found. He said that the filmmakers distorted many facts the way they needed. For example, they came up with evidence of non-existent expedition members and diamond pins allegedly found during excavations.

The article states that the filmmakers introduced the aforementioned Sergei Kynyev as a historian who stated:

Long before the discovery of Polosmak, our shamans predicted that a discovery would occur, and it was necessary to warn that cataclysms would begin after this. In Altai there are other laws, those that cannot be rationally explained.

The film was shown on Channel One.