Novosibirsk scholars presented the outcomes of research on a unique burial of the Pazyryk culture atop the Ukok Plateau, excavated back in the 1990s. In the frozen grave, remains of a woman were discovered, interred without customary funeral inventory, possibly lost over time. After performing computed tomography on the skull, specialists detected proof of an intricate surgical procedure, undertaken over two millennia ago to treat a severe injury to the temporomandibular joint. The research specifics are published in the journal “Problems of Archeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories.”
The Pazyryk culture of the Early Iron Age, which existed in the Altai from the 6th to 3rd centuries BCE, is renowned for the exceptional preservation of organic materials due to natural ice lenses. It was on the Ukok Plateau that famous finds were made, including the mummy of the so-called Ukok Princess. However, certain artifacts remained little-studied for a long period.
Such was the interment in barrow No. 2 of the Verkh-Kaljin-II burial ground, unearthed in 1994. Despite the absence of funerary objects, it holds considerable scientific merit. Inside the larch log structure, archaeologists found the almost entirely skeletonized remains of a female, buried in the traditional sleeping posture, with a voluminous wig.
Cranial investigation utilizing computed tomography made it possible to reconstruct the dramatic particulars of this woman’s existence. She had sustained a severe head trauma, perhaps from a fall off a horse, resulting in the dislocation of the lower jaw, rupture of the joint capsule and ligaments. This deprived her of the ability to chew and speak normally.
The major revelation was the detection of traces of a successful surgical intervention. Ancient healers drilled through-holes in the upper jaw and temporal bone and secured them with organic material—likely tendons or horsehair. Signs of healing and jaw adaptation suggest the woman survived for quite some time following the procedure.
This finding substantiates the high degree of surgical proficiency and deep anatomical knowledge among Pazyryk culture representatives, adding fresh details to our grasp of their medical customs.
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