Medieval mummies of Zeleny Yar burial ground in the Arctic Zone of Western Siberia

Sergey Mikhailovich Slepchenko, Alexander Vasilyevich Gusev, Evgenia Olegovna Svyatova, Jong Ha Hong, Chang Seok Oh, Do Seon Lim, Dong Hoon Shin

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Abstract

Notwithstanding the pioneering achievements of studies on arctic mummies in Siberia, there are insufficient data for any comprehensive understanding of the bio-cultural details of medieval people living in the region. In the Western Siberian arctic, permafrost mummies have been found in 12th to 13th century graves located in the Zeleny Yar (Z-Y) burial ground (6619'4.54"; 6721'13.54"). In 2013-2016, we were fortunate to be able to excavate that cemetery, locating a total of 47 burials, including cases of mummification. Some of these mummies had been wrapped in a multi-layered birch-bark cocoon. After removal of the cocoon, we conducted interdisciplinary studies using various scientific techniques. Gross anatomical examination and CT radiography showed that the internal organs were still well preserved inside the body cavities. Under light and electron microscopy, the histological findings were very similar to those for naturally mummified specimens discovered in other countries. Ancient DNA analysis showed that the Z-Y mummies' mtDNA haplotypes belong to five different haplogroups, namely U5a (#34), H3ao (#53), D (#67-1), U4b1b1 (#67-2), and D4j8 (#68), which distinguish them for their unique combination of Western- and Eastern Siberia-specific mtDNA haplogroups. Our interdisciplinary study obtained fundamental information that will form the foundation of successful future investigations on medieval mummies found in the Western Siberian arctic.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere0210718
JournalPLoS ONE
Volume14
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2019

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Slepchenko et al.

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