Ranked alongside momentous events like the unveiling of Tamburlaine’s tomb and the revelation of Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s burial site, this narrative delves into an archaeological discovery that goes beyond the ordinary. Bestowed with the prestigious title of “princess,” the Altai mummy prompts us to unravel the mystery of her true identity.

The mummy unearthed in 1993 on the Ukok Plateau has posed numerous enigmas for the scientific community. The plateau has been a site of repeated discoveries since the 1930s, with mummies being unearthed before, though scientists were not as fortunate in preserving them prior to this latest find.

Moreover, in the 1960s, a specific mound faced partial disturbance when its materials were requisitioned for constructing fortifications along the nearby border. To the astonishment of scientists, however, within the ruins of this mound, they stumbled upon an entirely intact tomb.

Initially revealing the burial of a man with a distinctive red ponytail and an abundance of tattoos that would rival those of a modern-day football player or aspiring rapper, the site also included three horses, ceramic and iron knives, dating back to the 4th and 3rd centuries BC.

While this find was noteworthy, scientists were particularly intrigued when they noticed that the tomb floor did not rest directly on the ground. Further investigation unveiled another burial chamber beneath the floor, containing a sarcophagus encased in eternal ice that had remained frozen since the year of burial, preserving a woman’s mummy in its original form. This included the unique clothing and an expansive wig woven from the hair of both humans and animals.

The burial evoked comparisons to the glass coffins of fairy tales where sleeping beauties lie, inspiring the mummy’s nickname, “Princess Ukok.”

Soon after its scientific discovery, the mummy assumed a role in religious worship. Local shamans asserted that this was no revelation for them, as they had always known about the burial. According to their beliefs, the scientists had unearthed Ak-Kadyn, a deity safeguarding the underworld from malevolent underground spirits, insisting that the mummy be promptly returned.

Predictably, the shamans were unable to provide rational arguments supporting their claims, dismissing the scientists’ probing questions as beneath their dignity. Numerous inquiries surfaced, such as how the deity ended up with meat and why only six horses were interred alongside a figure of such influence. The number, substantial for a middle-class individual or perhaps a priest, fell short for an influential spirit.

Rather than engaging in a scientific discourse, a cult began to take shape, drawing in superstitious citizens who swiftly rallied to advocate for the return of the “Princess of Ukok” to the Altai, viewing it as a means to safeguard her people. Petitions were written, and demands were presented at the federal level. Any adversity in this historically seismic region became attributed solely to the purported wrath of the “princess.”

Simultaneously, researchers in Novosibirsk persisted in their study, uncovering increasingly unexpected details. Facial reconstruction from surviving fragments led anthropologists to a startling revelation: the girl could not be an Altai princess, let alone an ancestor of the region’s modern inhabitants. Her appearance bore a distinct European resemblance, and her DNA aligned more closely with Indo-Europeans than with the Altai family.

The height of the ‘Princess of Ukok’ ranged from 1.54 to 1.58 meters (likely 5-6 centimeters more during her lifetime, considering the vertebrae’s size reduction due to mummification peculiarities). Researchers delved into the significance of animal and mythical tattoos, alongside the absence of men at the burial and a rather opulent burial attire. These factors led them to theorize that the ‘princess’ wasn’t of the ruling family but rather a shaman.

Pathologists studying the mummy estimated her age to be between 28 and 30 years. In many discussions, commentators mourn the premature death of the ‘princess,’ often overlooking the fact that, for the era and region, this age aligns with the average life expectancy. Dendrochronological analysis of the larch used for the sarcophagus pinpointed the exact year of burial: 413 BC.

Hypotheses surrounding the cause of death emerged, with detailed MRI analysis identifying osteomyelitis and right breast cancer as the most likely scenarios. The mummy is now on display at the Gorno-Altaisk Museum, near its original discovery site, marking a pause in its scientific exploration.