Das skythenzeitliche kriegergrab aus Olon-Kurin-Gol Neue Entdechungen in der Permafrostzone des mongolischen Altaj: Vorberich der russisch-deutsch-monogolischen Expedition im Sommer 2006

• Autores: Vjaceslav I. Molodín, Hermann Parzinger, Durensuren Ceveemdorz, Jurij N. Garkusa, Artem E. Grisin
• Localización: Eurasia antiqua: Zeitschrift für Archäologie Eurasiens, ISSN 0949-0434, Nº. 14, 2008, págs. 241-265
• Idioma: alemán
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• Dialnet Métricas: 1 Cita
• Resumen

  • A Russian-German-Mongolian Expedition in the summer of 2006 brought forth evidence, which proved that the highland valleys of the Altay Mountains in Mongolia (Ulan· Daba, Olon-Kurin-Gol), immediately south of the presento day Russian·Mongolian border, had been settled by memo bers of the Pazyryk Culture.

    The grave containing the partially mummified re· mains of a warrior, which was uncovered in Kurgan 1 in Olon-Kurin-Gol 10, provided, thereby, the most important insight: Firstly, it was undisturbed and, secondly, it was preserved in ice. This complex corresponds even in details to lhe findings made al the necropolis in Verch-Kal'dzin 2, located on the neighbouring Ukok platea u in the Russian Altay.

    The deceased warrior was interred in a grave chamber constructed of three tiers of massive larch beams, the lower part of which was filled with a huge block of ice. The burial itself was not frozen, but instead through its position upon the ice, freeze·dried, thus enablíng excellent conditions for preservation. The deceased was como pletely mummified from the buttocks to the toes, and parts of the soft tissues of the upper arms were preserved as well. Only the upper body was completely decomposed. Remains of skin revealed that the warrior was also taltoed.

    The c\othes of the warrior consisted of a long fur coat, a felt head covering decorated with animal figures carved out of wood and covered with gold and tin foil, short trousers and knee·high felt boots. The fur coat was fastened with a belt with decorative wooden plates, from which an iron war-pick with a painted wooden shaft was suspended on the right and a quiver on the left. This set of weaponry was complemented by a short iron dagger in a wooden sheath. The quiver itself was made of wood and fel!. Although only partly preserved, it heId the first completely preserved bow found until now in the area of the Pazyryk Culture. The bow displays a complicated con· struction, whereby several layers of wood had been glued together and then wrapped with animal skin and/or tree bark. The grave furnishings further inc\uded a sel of ves· seis: one of wood, one of horn and one of clay, as well as a wood tray with the funeral mea!. Grave furnishings sueh as these appear regularly in burials of the Pazyryk Cul· ture.

    Kurgan 1 Olon·Kurin·GoI10 contained one of the earliest burials of the Pazyryk Culture known today. Based upon dendrochronological analysis, it can be dated to the early 3rd century Be. This date is confirmed by the other finds as wel!. A similar late date can be suggested for the looted grave of a female in Kurgan 2 in Olon-Kurin·Gol 6. As most of the cemeteries on the Ukok plateau are late in date, the question arises as to whether these extremely high mountain valleys (ca. 2,500 m) in the present·day Russian·Mongolían borderland were used by stock·raisers only as late as the last phase of the Scythian period, that is, the Pazyryk Culture, as a habitation and economic sphere and, thus, also as burlal grounds.