2500-year-old ‘ice mummy’ reveals tattoos

A 2500-year-old Siberian “ice mummy” found in the Altai mountains revealed intricate tattoos. 

The research published in the Antiquity journal collaborated with tattoo artists and used infrared digital photography to gather information.

The tattoos were so complex that a modern tattooist would find it difficult to carve the same impression. The design featured animal combat scenes of a mythical lion, leopard, eagle, and a rooster.

The details showed that there was a difference in the quality of tattoos on both arms. Either the work was done by different artists or the same artist worked at different stages of the skill set.

Dr Gino Caspari, the lead author of the journal, said, “If I were guessing, it was probably four and a half hours for the lower half of the right arm, and another five hours for the upper part.”

“That’s solid commitment from the person. Imagine sitting on the ground in the steppe where there’s wind blowing all the time,” he says.

The tattooed woman was 50 years old and belonged to the nomadic tribe of the Pazyryk people, who resided on the vast plains between Europe and China.

Tattoos could not be seen with the naked eye. It was quite difficult to uncover the information about the society and culture of the ancient tribes. The evidence of people’s lives was destroyed over time.

However, the discovery of these tattoos might give some insights into the traces of the Iron Age Pazyryk culture. 

Dr Caspari said, “This made me feel like we were much closer to seeing the people behind the art, how they worked and learned. The images came alive.”

There is an ongoing dispute between the local community, who want the mummy to be reburied, and researchers who were looking forward to preserving it for study.

The 2500-year-old Ice Maiden mummy was discovered in 1993 on the Ukok Plateau in the Altai Mountains of Russia. They belong to the nomadic Pazyryk culture.

What is the oldest frozen mummy ever found?

Otzi is the oldest frozen mummy found on September 19, 1991, at the Austria-Italy border.