Altai Princess.

In 1993, during archaeological excavations on the mound of Ak-Alakha in Altai, it was found the mummified body of a young woman. Mummy called the Altai Princess, or Siberian Ice Maiden, because Mound it is there. In the tomb, the body except the princess, whose death occurred at the age of 25 years, were found the remains of six horses, which confirms the high social status of women.

Interestingly also the fact that the princess, who are supposed to belong to the Mongoloid race, dominating the territory of the Altai, to that does not belong. By all indications, the type found women more like a European. Her height is 170 cm, and the blood group A1, which is typical of ancient Aryans. This type also inherits about 70 percent of the eastern Slavs.

The circumstances and the probable cause of death of young women is still controversial in the scientific community, and the approximate age of dumping is estimated to be 2500 years old. Today, scientists at the DNA of women, trying to answer the many ambiguities and shed light on the life of the Pazyryk culture that existed in IV-III centuries BC on the plateau Ukok.

In spite of this antiquity, Princess hands were tattooed. Tattoos covered with the skin of the mummy from shoulder to wrist on both arms, but remained only her left hand.

According to experts, a tattoo on his shoulder contains a hidden message, but a time when we will be able to decrypt the message has not yet come. According to one version, tattoo Princess is argali and snow leopard - the totem of the clan, which belonged to a young woman. However, the image may be interpreted differently. Others believe that this snow leopard or snow leopard, who was worshiped as one of the sacred animals guarding the road to Shambala. Still others see the deer with the beak of a griffin and & laquo; blooming & raquo; horns, motif, common among the Scythians.

I must say that in general, tattoos are very popular in all parts of the ancient world. They served as a kind of identity card, identifying the person. You may recall the Egyptian pharaohs or Chinese emperors. Not to mention the ancient Indians and Africans that there were completely covered with intricate tattoos. The so-called Ice man lain 4,000 years in the glacier, also had a tattoo in the form of rectangular strips. Therefore, the art of the tattoo can be safely regarded as one of the oldest on the planet.

According to the legends of the indigenous population, the mummy of Princess - is one of the ancestors of the Altai people - Princess Kadan, which sacrificed itself to save the world from evil spirits. Therefore, local residents strongly opposed the further excavation and demanding the return of the mummy to its final resting place. They believe that the spirit of the Altai Princess was disturbed and her anger will not go unnoticed.

Indeed, after the start of the excavation and removal of the mummy from the tomb, the number of storms and fires in the region has increased dramatically. And right out of the mummy, a strong earthquake shook the Altai.