Princess Ukok's Fabulous Wig

Decorated with birds, deer, and human hair and standing more than 27 inches tall, the amazing, fabulous wig of a 2,500 year old Siberian Princess still stuns. 

Princess Ukok, also known as the Siberian Princess, is the famous mummy of a woman found in 1993 by Dr. Natialia Polosmak in a kurgan (subterranean tomb made of logs) that had been frozen solid for over 2,500 years. The woman is from the Pazyryk culture in the Republic of Altai, Russia. 

This lady is well known, mostly for her tattoos. Her wig is equally as awesome, though, and it has become my goal to make Ukok famous for it. 

Here she is.

upon discovery in her frozen tomb, encased in ice.

her awesome deer tattoo

Here's an artist's interpretation of what she may have looked like, based on the archaeological finds in the tomb, including her mummified body.

Recreation of her bust based on the remains, by Swiss taxidermist Marcel Nyffenegger. 

She wore this very tall, very ornate, very amazing headpiece.

Her coffin (a hollowed out tree) was made long enough to accommodate the headpiece.

According to Dr. Polosmak, the base of the wig was made of felt, fitting like a hat, with two layers of women's hair sewn into it. Between each layer was a black, flexible fabric, which helped hold the shape of the wig. A giant, 68.68-cm long "feather" sticks up from the crown, held in place with a stick. The feather is made of felt and covered with black wool fabric. Fifteen bird figures are attached to the back of the feather, increasing in size from the smallest near the head and the largest at the pinnacle. Dear figures are attached to the front of the piece.



To the surprise of researchers, her head was shaved! 

From a great article in the Siberian Times:

There is evidence that other Pazyryk women - both of royal and lower status - shaved their heads but not always completely: it appears to be not simply a death ritual. Intriguingly, too, some evidence has been found that women kept plaits of their own shaved hair with horse hair extensions. 

'It can be linked to a universal understanding about hair, namely that - specially when it is long, it contains magical powers. So hair cutting  symbolises the end of the previous life.'

Some Siberian peoples did shave the women's hair to mark the end of her childbearing age - which, to them, meant that the woman was ready to travel to another world. 

'The information carried by the Pazyryk hair styles and wigs is truly priceless.'But to decrypt it, to be able to understand it we should have lived with them. A hypothesis about hair style changes linked to marriage or children or death is plausible, but will remain just that - a hypothesis. I don't yet see the end of the thread, which I can hold to start undoing the tangle of this complicated issue'. Amid this tangled conundrum is another question.

The Pazyryks were horsemen and women during the time they dominated in the Altai region of southern Siberia, especially  between sixth and third centuries BC. How on earth did the women ride wearing these beautiful hats?  

Excellent question!

my very own Princess Ukok tattoo!

read more about princess ukok's outfit

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