The death of the Siberian Ice Maiden has not yet been completely been uncovered. Her death was incredibly suspicious, forensic analysis has concluded that the Siberian Ice Maiden died between the ages of 20 to 30, most likely in her early 20's. This shows that it is possible that the Siberian Ice Maiden was sacrificed, died of disease or was even murdered. Scientists conducted a number of x-rays and through the examination of her body they found a 2 inch hole at the back of her skull. This led people to believe that the Siberian Ice Maiden was killed in a horrible manner.
Natalia Polosmak appealed to a Swiss forensic pathologist named Rudolph Hauri. He stated that it was possible that she wasn't killed but in fact died naturally. The hole at the back of her skull was used for the mummification process.
"You see the lines of fracture here in this example. That's like fractures of a clay pottery, and the same thing was on the Ice Maiden, so I am sure it's post-mortem-after death."Hauri.
Hauri also discovered the age of the Ice Maiden. "You'll see these lines on the skull. These fissures, these are widely open on this skull. That means the skull is young—perhaps between 20 and 30. After 30, there will be closing and if someone is very old—70 or 80—they're nearly closed and invisible. Our examinations of the skull of the Ice Maiden showed that we saw mainly open fissures like here. It was comparable. That means that she was between 20 and about 30—probably about 25." - Hauri
According to traditional Pazyryk burial, when a noble dies that cut open the belly, clean it and then fill it up with chopped marsh plants, incense, parsley seed and anise. After this they sew it up together. Through the work of Werner Schoch, a biochemist, they have revealed that the Siberian Ice Maiden had undergone this same process. He also found the eyes were removed and replaced with fur. This all suggests that the Ice Maiden was mummified.
The writings of Herodotus describe the mummification process of the Altai people, this description is identical to the process the Ice maiden would have received.
Although it is not exactly clear how the Siberian Ice Maiden died, through the knowledge that the Ice Maiden was mummified, died young and had no signs of injury, it is highly likely that she died of natural causes.
Natalia Polosmak appealed to a Swiss forensic pathologist named Rudolph Hauri. He stated that it was possible that she wasn't killed but in fact died naturally. The hole at the back of her skull was used for the mummification process.
"You see the lines of fracture here in this example. That's like fractures of a clay pottery, and the same thing was on the Ice Maiden, so I am sure it's post-mortem-after death."Hauri.
Hauri also discovered the age of the Ice Maiden. "You'll see these lines on the skull. These fissures, these are widely open on this skull. That means the skull is young—perhaps between 20 and 30. After 30, there will be closing and if someone is very old—70 or 80—they're nearly closed and invisible. Our examinations of the skull of the Ice Maiden showed that we saw mainly open fissures like here. It was comparable. That means that she was between 20 and about 30—probably about 25." - Hauri
According to traditional Pazyryk burial, when a noble dies that cut open the belly, clean it and then fill it up with chopped marsh plants, incense, parsley seed and anise. After this they sew it up together. Through the work of Werner Schoch, a biochemist, they have revealed that the Siberian Ice Maiden had undergone this same process. He also found the eyes were removed and replaced with fur. This all suggests that the Ice Maiden was mummified.
The writings of Herodotus describe the mummification process of the Altai people, this description is identical to the process the Ice maiden would have received.
Although it is not exactly clear how the Siberian Ice Maiden died, through the knowledge that the Ice Maiden was mummified, died young and had no signs of injury, it is highly likely that she died of natural causes.