HE melting of permafrost It supports the emergence of unexpected discoveries of Eurasian regions (the frozen ground). In Mongolia, scientists were able to study the lifestyle and diet of the Mongols. Eleven people whose bodies appear to be well preserved.
A newly published scientific study examined the remains of a cemetery in an area called Khorig, located high in the Khovsgol mountains. Flirting shows that The cemetery has been in operation since the 13th century when the Mongol Empire was united in 1206.
This was the year Genghis Khan was proclaimed ruler of all Mongols and laid the foundations for the largest empire in history, stretching from the Pacific coast of Asia to Eastern Europe.
In 2018 and 2019, the skeletons of 11 individuals were found at this site after they were partially exposed by melting permafrost. The bodies were in surprisingly good condition despite being over 800 years old, thanks to the sub-zero temperatures protecting the remains.
To be buried with luxurious grave goods and to be in noble clothing, it follows from this that the people buried in that place had a high social status.
The role of the Yak in the life of the ancient Mongols
Now, the results of this finding have been made public. Researchers were particularly interested in analyzing the remains to understand the remains. The lifestyle and diet of these aristocrats of the Mongol Empire. By looking at the proteins found in ancient dental calculus, the team They drank the milk of horses, sheep, goats, cows, and above all yaks.
The team was particularly pleased to find burn proof, because these animals play a very important role in different cultures found at high altitudes in Eastern Eurasia. They are also extremely versatile for life in this harsh environment, providing a high-calorie food source, rough fluff for warm fabrics, and oil to make useful products such as candles.
“Our most important finding was a high-status woman buried with a birch bark hat. The so-called bogtog and silk robes depicting a five-clawed golden dragon. Our proteomic analyzes concluded that she had been drinking yak milk throughout her life,” explains Alicia Ventresca-Miller, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Michigan (USA).This has helped us confirm the continued use of this iconic animal in the area and its links to eminent rulers.”.
Meltdown supports archaeological looting
While melting permafrost has helped scientists find these corpses, this phenomenon makes historical relics now more vulnerable to looting. If temperatures continue to rise and the permafrost deteriorates further, then there are fears that some frozen archaeological remains scattered far and wide may be destroyed before they can be properly studied.
“The degree of looting we’ve seen is unprecedented. Almost all of the burials we can find on the surface have been recently destroyed by looting.“Explained Julia Clark, an archaeologist at Nomad Science.
Reference work: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-023-04723-3
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