The amazing 900-year-old mummy of a Russian “polar princess” discovered in the Arctic Circle

   

The mummy of a ‘polar princess’ has been found close to the Arctic Circle, her long eyelashes and hair still intact after 900 years. Her haunting face and features are clearly seen after she was unwrapped by scientists from the cocoon of copper and fur in which she was buried in permafrost soil in the 12th century.

Aged around 35, she was the only woman buried around almost three dozen men, and the detail on her accidentally mummified remains is astonishing. Her impressive eyelashes and teeth are immaculately preserved as is her full head of hair

Aged around 35, she was the only woman buried around almost three dozen men, and the detail on her accidentally mummified remains is astonishing. Her impressive eyelashes and teeth are immaculately preserved as is her full head of hair.

The green tinge on her face is from the fragments of a copper kettle apparently intended to protect her as she journeyed to the afterlife. The pieces of copper kettle had the unintended consequence of mummifying her, archaeologists believe.

The mummy was dug up by archaeologists in the Zeleny Yar burial site near Salekhard, Russia, reported The Siberian Times.

She was a member of a mysterious medieval hunting and fishing civilisation that held sway in this polar region, but had connections to Persia.

While her head is well preserved, the rest of her body was not. A small baby found in a grave nearby – also probably female – is not believed to be related to this middle ages mummy

Archaeologists are puzzled why she is the only adult female found in the necropolis, and had earlier thought this was an all male burial ground.

It could mean she was an elite member of her society which lived in this cold region, although apart from several temple rings close to her skull, there was no evidence of jewellery in her tomb.

While her head is well preserved, the rest of her body was not. A small baby found in a grave nearby – also probably female – is not believed to be related to this middle ages mummy.

Archaeologist Alexander Gusev, from Russia’s Arctic Research Centre, said: ‘We clearly see from the face that she was a woman. This radically changes our concept about this graveyard. Previously we thought that there were only adult men and children, but now we have a woman. It’s amazing.’

She was wrapped in fur and found in a burial with men only. This could mean she was an elite member of her society, although apart from several temple rings close to her skull, there was no evidence of jewellery in her tomb

The woman and the baby are from different graves, so we cannot say they are related’, said Dr Sergey Slepchenko, of the Institute of the Problems of Northern Development, Tyumen.

Detailed analysis will be carried out on the remains by Russian and South Korean scientists in an attempt to understand more about the lives of early polar settlers. He hopes to reconstruct the face of the woman.

‘During the natural conservation of the mummy in the soil, the rotting process was completed’, Dr Slepchenko said. ‘The remaining soft tissues were soaked with copper solution from those ritual plates with which the bodies were covered.’

Previous finds at the Zeleniy Yar burial site near Salekhard have included bronze bowls originating in ancient Persia, around 3,700 miles to the south-west. One earlier find was a ‘red haired man’ buried with a bronze buckle depicting a brown bear.

‘In the world there are two types of mummies – artificial and natural’, said Professor Dong-Hoon Shin, from Seoul National University.

‘Excellent examples of mummies of artificial origin are Egyptian. The natural mummification of bodies of the buried is usually observed when certain conditions of the environment – permafrost, the presence of copper objects in the burial – and climate’, he said.

These mummies are found in deserts and in the north.

‘Arctic mummies, similar to those found in the Zeleny Yar, are very rare. That is why (these finds) are unique’, said Dr Shin. ‘Due to the high level of preservation the mummies’ internal organs are intact, too, which is incredibly interesting for our research’, he said.

Related Posts

“Explore the Reality: Do Ancient Etchings Suggest Encounters with Extraterrestrial Beings? Delve into the Enigma and Uncover the Truth behind Ancient Inscriptions.”-davinci

Claims sυggestiпg that aпcieпt carviпgs depict spacecraft or advaпced techпology sυpposedly created by alieпs lack credible archaeological or scieпtific evideпce. Sυch iпterpretatioпs ofteп fall withiп the realm…

Discovering a lost treasure under a mythological snake’s protection in a desert terrain.

Embarking on a tһгіɩɩіпɡ treasure һᴜпt, adventurers discovered an іпсгedіЬɩe amount of gold! Guided by a fascinating ɩeɡeпd and aided by a guardian snake, they uncovered unimaginable…

Golden Temptation: The Allure of the Greatest Hidden Treasure of Ancient Rome.

Aпd it was so that iп the process of exchaпgiпg views oп the materials pυblished iп the HE, it tυrпed oυt that qυite a sigпificaпt part of…

If there were giaпts, where did they go?-davinci

I have always beeп fasciпated by the stories of giaпts, the giaпt iп Jack aпd the Beaпstalk, the giaпt laпterп geпie iп the tales of the Thoυsaпd…

Uпveiliпg History: Qiпg Dyпasty Female Corpse Uпearthed iп Jiпgzhoυ Lυjiaoshaп Tomb.-davinci

The bυilders were carryiпg oυt excavatioп works wheп they came across the maп’s body, dressed iп fiпe fabrics aпd laid to rest with his favoυrite faп. The…

The intelligent dog traveling via a mystical portal to a priceless find

Join the іпсгedіЬɩe tale of Chon, a dog turned treasure hunter. His precious find сарtᴜгed hearts. Chon, once a пeɡɩeсted and аЬапdoпed гeѕсᴜe dog, found himself on…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *