Unsolved Mysteries of Siberia
A chapter on the countless mysteries Siberia holds, which scientists have yet to unravel...
There are many places on our planet whose mysteries have captivated the scientific community for centuries. Siberia has become a treasure trove for archaeologists. Its territory has seen the mixing of peoples and the rise and fall of ancient civilizations. The harsh climate appears to have created ideal conditions for preserving ancient artifacts, the origins of which often leave scientists puzzled. We will share some of these mysteries with you.
Where Did the Sargats Disappear To?
The ancient Sargats lived more than 1,000 years ago (6th century BC – 5th century AD) in the vast forest-steppe zone of the Trans-Urals and Western Siberia. They had a unique culture, now preserved only in the enigmatic mound pyramids known as kurgans. The 8-meter-high burial mounds we see today are remnants of their former greatness. The Sargats constructed massive structures comparable to the Egyptian pyramids, with numerous passages and burial chambers filled with treasures such as gold and silver jewelry, exquisite clay and metal artifacts, weapons, and utensils. It is said that the renowned collection of Peter the Great included gold from the Sargatian pyramids.
The civilization was named after the kurgans discovered in 1927 near the village of Sargatka, not far from Omsk. Historians agree that the Sargat association was the largest in Western Siberia during the Early Iron Age and that this nation had formidable military power and achieved a high level of development. However, there is no consensus on where the Sargats disappeared to. According to one version, their state fell under the onslaught of the Huns, and the population became part of the Great Migration of Peoples. According to another theory, one part of the Sargats gave rise to new peoples – the Khanty and Mansi – while the second part became ancestors of the Siberian Tatars.
The Mysterious Salbyk Pyramid
This is one of the most sacred places in Khakassia and a unique monument of Tagar culture. The Great Salbyk Kurgan is located in the Valley of the Dead Kings, where the nobility of the Scythians was laid to rest. The kurgan was built in the 3rd century BC, with the pyramid reaching up to 30 meters at that time.
The kurgan was a complex structure. Today, only its base remains – a perimeter fenced by stone slabs arranged in a square measuring 70 meters on each side. Blocks weighing 60 tons, standing vertically, were delivered here a hundred kilometers from the shores of the Yenisei River. However, scientists have no answer to how this was achieved.
During excavations, archaeologists discovered the remains of a ruler whom scientists believe may have been a tribal chief or priest. The locals believe that the spirit of the chief still resides here.
Remarkable Discoveries: The Oldest Human Sites
The Mamontovaya Kurya site in Komi is dated by scientists to be 40,000 years old. During excavations, over a hundred animal bones were discovered, including those of deer, horses, and wolves. To the north, the Yana site was discovered, dating back 32,500 years. Interesting fact: The existence of these sites contradicts the data of official science, which previously indicated that humans could not have lived on this land even 15,000 years ago.
The Advanced Level of Pazyryk Medicine
Archaeologist Vasily Radlov discovered the Pazyryk culture in the Altai Mountains in 1865. It was named in honor of the monument in the Pazyryk tract of the Bolshoi Ulagan River valley, where the burial chambers of the Pazyryk nobility were discovered in 1929.
Archaeological findings indicate that the Pazyryk people were capable of performing complex surgeries. Modern neurosurgeons suggest that their practices were in line with the recommendations found in the "Hippocratic Corpus," medical treatises used in ancient Greece, that were used at the same time in ancient Greece, 5,000 kilometers away from the Pazyryk people. Now scientists are concerned with the question: Did the early nomads of Siberia acquire medical skills from ancient Greek doctors, or did the Pazyryk people independently develop similar medical practices?
The Mystery of Omsk “Aliens”
About 10 years ago, scientists discovered traces of the Huns on the bank of the Tara River in the Murly tract in the Omsk region, suggesting their presence approximately 1,500 years ago.
What surprised them was that the skulls of ancient people turned out to be elongated, resembling those of humanoid aliens. That is where the name originates. It is assumed that people achieved such skull shapes through the use of special bandages, but scientists are still speculating about their main purpose.
This is just a small part of the most famous mysteries that Siberia holds. We all hope that one day mankind will be able to unravel them. But it is possible that by then scientists will have discovered many new mysteries that cannot yet be explained.