In 1990, archaeologists discovered an amazing discovery – the burial of the two soldiers in southern Siberia, in the Altai Mountains. Remains of the representatives of the Pazyryk culture lay in the rich burial Alakha Ak-1 surrounded by sets of weapons, including iron battle-axes with wooden handles, iron knives in a wooden sheath, arrows and bows. This mound – the first in the history of studying Pazyryk nerazgrablennoe and “frozen” burial of noble warriors-riders with a fully-preserved burial items and pieces of costume.
At the same plateau three years later he was found “Siberian Ice Maiden” – the mummy of a young woman of about 25 years. According to the beliefs of the indigenous population of Altai,
«Princess,” also known as “white lady”, is the guardian of peace and is the guardian of the gates of the underworld, preventing the penetration of evil lower worlds.
Pazyryk culture – this archaeological culture of the Iron Age (VI-III centuries BC.), the main findings of objects that have been made in the Altai Mountains. Carriers of this culture lived in the adjacent territories of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Altai and Mongolia and were mainly engaged in nomadic cattle breeding.
Previously, anthropologists have found that in the first deck was buried a man 45-50 years old, the second – a young girl 16 17 years. However, a group of scientists from the Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences found that
«Amazon» was a young boy.
The text of the study can be found in the magazine “Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia».
«The fact that one of the soldiers – a female, was previously defined on the basis of anthropological traits – says Alexander Pilipenko, one of the authors of the study and researcher at the Cytology and Genetics of SB RAS and Joint Laboratory NSU. – Scientists looked skeletal morphology, which gives a certain level of error. This error can be quite significant, especially in the case of sex determination in young individuals. That is mistaken in determining the sex of adults is difficult. During the period of puberty, when the skeleton is still nedoformirovanny, something can be confused.
In the case of sex determination in the young warrior, to my knowledge, one of the main markers was the morphology of the pelvic bones. But at the same pelvic bone “Amazons” totally not going to – they have been damaged. ”
The researchers found that soldiers have the same line of the Y-chromosome. This suggests that they are relatives in the male line. However, other markers indicate that the soldiers – not direct relatives, and, most likely, nephews and second cousins. According paleogenetics in one grave the two men have brought both family relationships and a certain social status, but their joint burial due to the current situation – both are experienced (probably each in its cause) last winter and were buried in the spring, when it became possible .
Adult soldier at the time of death was inactive disabled, unable to sit alone on his horse and died, apparently due to diseases of the spine.
In this case, scientists do not know for what reason the young man died.
It was previously thought that the male warrior and “Amazon” or were spouses or father with his daughter.
Both in Russia and abroad “Altai Amazon” was considered evidence the fact that the women of the nomadic civilizations possessed the art of war. “Who are obtained, there is no longer evidence of a female warrior nomads, – says Alexander Pilipenko. – Objective data led to the fact that the reconstruction of the female warriors were canceled ».
The study lasted for about a year. To determine the sex of “Amazons” scientists have used methods of molecular genetic analysis using four systems of genetic markers (mitochondrial DNA polymorphic gene fragment amelogenin, STR-loci autosomes and STR-loci of the Y-chromosome).
Pylypenko notices that in the case of the famous “Siberian Ice Maiden” no problems with the identification of sex, as it has been preserved as a mummy.
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