As I’m in the midst of working on sacred tattoo designs here, I found this article shared by a dear friend of mine -thanks Jim!! – to be quite a cool and synchronous read. The article shares about a 2500 year-old mummy of a Siberian “Princess” – known as the Ukok Princess – and two mummies of “warrior” men who were discovered 19 years ago on the remote Ukok Plateau, about 2,500 meters up in the Altai Mountains, close to the border frontiers of Russia with Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan.

I LOVE the elaborate and beautiful designs of these nomadic Pazyryk people, which are seen to be the “best preserved and most elaborate ancient tattoos anywhere in the world”.

We all remember the “Ice Man” – Otzi – found in the Alps and his ancient tattoos, which are much older, but were no where near the incredible artistry of the Pazyryks’ tattoos, as he had only lines and dots.

The Siberian Princess is said to have died around age 25-28 over 2500 years ago, which makes her “some five centuries older than Jesus Christ, and several hundred years the senior of Alexander the Great”.

She was buried with six horses – her spiritual escorts to the next world and symbols of her status. It is thought she may have been “more likely a revered folk tale narrator, a healer or a holy woman than an ice princess”.

Nonetheless, these tattoos had much meaning and symbolism to the Pazyryks, and across time, this has held true for all ancient cultures.

I love how the Pazyryks used animal imagery as a form of language to represent their thoughts. Wearing many animals myself, I do understand. 🙂

They were also used to define their status in society and in the world, and the more tattoos a person had, the higher their position, and the longer it meant that they lived. Again, as I point out in my book, Spiritual Skin, it is interesting how things changed and how tattoos began to be looked down upon in modern times.

Since the princess had only her two arms tattooed, it signified her younger age, as well as her status.

You can read the full article that details more about the tattoo findings of the princess and warriors, along with specifics on the fantastical animal imagery they wear, and other interesting insights here:

Siberian Princess Reveals Her 2500 Year Old Tattoos