Un nouveau kourgane à « tombe gelée » de l'Altaï (rapport préliminaire)

In the summer of 1990, the Southern Altay Section of the Institute of Archaeology of Novosibirsk excavated a "frozen tomb" at Ak-Alakha (2500 m above sea level). The burial pit (5 x 5 m) and the funerary chamber were preserved. Nine sacrificed horses were found, with their horse trappings similar to Pazyryk. A man and a woman were buried in two wooden sarcophagi. Felt and fur dresses as well as daggers, bows and arrows were deposited in the sarcophagi. A carved piece of quiver depicted two tigers attacking a boar. The high and complex headdresses in felt, were decorated with birds and deer in wood gilted with gold foil. The saddles were decorated with ornaments representing fish. The representations of Ak-Alakha are similar to the royal kurgans of Tuekta, Bashadar and Pazyryk art, but belonged probably to people of the small nobility of a higher class than the deceased of Ulandryk, Justyd and Bashanta.Polosmak Natalia, Francfort Henri-Paul. Un nouveau kourgane à « tombe gelée » de l'Altaï (rapport préliminaire). In: Arts asiatiques, tome 46, 1991. pp. 5-20