Altai

Siberian Ice Maiden Perfect Lake Kucherla, Altai Mountains Photograph:  Dmitry A. Mottl Golden Earrring - Pazyryk Burial Mound  Princess Ukok Siberian Ice Maiden Shoulder Tattoo 'Princess Ukok' 500 years before 'Christ' tattoos face-brush of horse hair eye-liner pencil long, wide woollen skirt (three horizontal sections) colours of skirt sections: crimson (top) pinkish-yellowish (middle) rich Bordeaux (base) woollen braided skirt belt long, almost knee-length light over-shirt round neck red lace braid decoration shirt garments made of silk & almost identically to those found (now) Xinjiang province of China design Chinese but silk used not Chinese silk possibly Indian or somewhere south of China light fur kaftan-style coat long narrow sleeves shorter at the front tail from behind decorated with leather and fur patterns patterns =  images of animals animals as symbolic guards & to identify ethnic group membership traditional Pazyryk patterns:  lion & deer on clothing & on decorative wall carpets 'Princess Ukok' had a shaved head, with no hair wore high, elaborate wig that remains intact base of the wig was a felt 'hat' two layers of women's hair were sewn into felt other black substance between layers red braided decoration made from threads bronze pin with a deer, standing on a sphere deer was made from wood, and was covered in golden foil giant feather, 68.5 cm long made from felt and covered with black woollen fabric with a stick inside, to stand upright headdress worn at burial & accommodated by coffin Pazyryk women - both of royal & lower status shaved their heads, but not always entirely therefore this is not a death ritual women kept plaits of own shaved hair with horse hair extensions linked to a universal understanding about hair long hair contains magical powers hypothesis:   hair style changes linked to marriage or children or death hair cutting symbolises the end of the previous life Siberian peoples shaved women's hair to mark end of childbearing age Such women were ready to travel to another world Boots high, above the knee, white felt 'tight' boots decorated with patterns also made from felt such boots worn by both Pazyryk men & women as protection against the fierce cold Coffin made of hollowed out tree Pazyryks were horsemen and women dominated Altai region of southern Siberia, esp. 6th & 3rd Centuries BC Ukok and her clan were fashion-conscious clothing not merely utilitarian Textiles woollen textiles imported to Altai source unknown source of dyes is 3,000 km from Altai Eastern Mediterranean third dyeing ingredient:  Iran, Mediterranean, China & India second dyeing ingredient:  Eastern Mediterranean use of combinations of tree colourants = very high culture of fabrics colouring by craftsmen shades of red & purple Ancient China influenced Northern Barbarians teaching them to use things eg. silk or massive bronze mirrors contacts between Pazyryks & Chinese kingdoms well established exchange or capture what they did not make themselves example of early bridge b/w great ancient cultural fiefdoms Pazyryks accepted & blended experiences & traditions of two great ancient civilisations fusion seen in clothes Pazyryk example synthesis b/w east and west, several hundred years before Alexander the Great's push for east-west melding small scale synthesis mixing of cultures mixing of Caucasian and Mongoloid synthesis, on a small scale, fruitful result:  Gorniy Altai Pazyryk culture Pazyryk burial horsemen costume = trousers trousers considered by Greeks & Romans as 'barbaric' Greeks & Romans did not accept or wear trousers [lol ... I love trousers & hate skirts] Pazyryk Warrior's Trousers Pazyryk trousers:  made of thick fabric / mixture of sheep & camel wool trousers:  red Pazyryk Warrior's Coat short sheepskin coat with no collar, with 'tail' tailcoat mirrors the female dress decorated with: leather patterns sable fur black foal's hair red coloured tufts of horse hair coat had no buckles x2 leather belts which held it together belt 1 = for bow case belt 2 = for warrior's knife & chisel long sleeves, which could be tied up with a cord became pockets to carry little things source http://siberiantimes.com/culture/others/features/fashion-and-beauty-secrets-of-a-2500-year-old-siberian-princess-from-her-permafrost-burial-chamber/ Altai Mongolian:  'alt' (gold) + 'tai' (with) Chinese name derived from Mongolian:  Gold Mountain Siberia is home ...