Ancient "Birdman" Skeleton Buried In Costume Unearthed In Siberia
Ben Taub
30 MAY 2019, 12:18
Archaeologists have uncovered two remarkable Bronze Age burial sites in Siberia, each containing the remains of a shaman sporting some astonishing paraphernalia. One of these ancient priests was buried in a costume made of around 50 bird beaks, while the other was found with a pair of what appear to be bronze spectacles.
The two skeletons were discovered at the Ust-Tartas archaeological site in the Novosibirsk region of Siberia, where more than 30 other burial sites have previously been excavated. However, Lilia Kobeleva from the Novosibirsk Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography told The Siberian Times that nothing we found earlier was as impressive as [the] discoveries in these two graves, adding that both men must have carried special roles in the society.
The skeleton was found with a feather collar. Novosibirsk Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography/The Siberian Times
It is thought that the beaks that formed the ceremonial costume were from herons or cranes, although they have yet to be fully examined and analyzed. The avian accessory was placed along the back of the mans neck and skull, which Kobeleva says could indicate that it acted as some sort of protective collar.
Researchers now plan to spend months painstakingly separating the feathers in order to determine the exact number, and to learn how they were attached, as no mounting holes are visible.
More:
https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/ancient-birdman-skeleton-buried-in-costume-unearthed-in-siberia/