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Presentation of a reconstruction of the ceremonial dress of the Arzhan-2 Queen On 14 February 2005 a reconstruction of the ceremonial attire of the Queen found in the Arzhan-2 barrow was presented to the public in the Arab Hall. Arzhan-2 is an undisturbed "royal" burial site in Tuva dating from the Scythian period. In 2001 this undisturbed burial place from the period of the early nomadic peoples was discovered while investigations were made at the Arzhan-2 burial and commemorative complex in Tuva. Skeletons of a man and a woman were literally covered in gold which once adorned their ceremonial dress. The wealth of the funeral attire and the objects which accompanied the deceased tell us that they belonged to the very top stratum of the nomad nobility. Both of the buried persons were dressed in costumes with embroidered gold emblems. Their headwear was decorated with flat gold ornamentation in the shape of horses, deer and snow leopards. The women's headgear was crowned with golden studs in the so-called Scythian animal style and has shaped upper parts; one of the latter is an elegant sculpture of a standing deer. In the area of the neck and chest researchers found earrings, numerous pendants and beads made of gold, turquoise, pyrites and amber. Archeologists discovered on the neck of the man a massive golden grivna, the symbol of authority. The trousers were embroidered with very fine gold beads, while the tops of the boots were covered in gold leaf. Bronze mirrors were laid down in front of the faces of the deceased. Along the corners of the burial chamber there were hung from vertically positioned poles their accompanying possessions. Next to the woman there hung a golden pectoral, leather vessels with seeds of grain, a wooden ladle, bronze and stone censers. Near the man was found a ceremonial belt which had fixed to it a bow and quiver as well as a battle axe. Felt, fabrics, leather articles and clothing were not preserved, although the golden emblems decorating them, clips and beads allow us to reconstruct the decor of the burial chamber and the attire of the persons buried there with a great degree of confidence. The reconstruction of the ceremonial dress of the Queen of the Arzhan-2 barrow was performed in the Laboratory of Expert Restoration of Works of Applied Art within the State Hermitage's Department of Expert Restoration and Conservation. This brings to a close a whole complex of work which included the creation of reconstructions of male and female clothing. The King's costume was presented in the exhibition entitled Arzhan..The Source in the Valley of the Kings. Archeological Discoveries in Tuva. The work was carried out between 2002 and 2005. Reconstruction of the female attire (work during 2004-2005 ) was carried out on the basis of documentary materials from the excavations. Copies of the many decorations (studs, figurines of horses, ornamentation on capes, bracelets, belt clips, scabbards with dagger and knives, earrings, chains and many other objects) were prepared using complex technologies. The restorers copied more than 3,400 beads and imitations of amber and turquoise, gold beads and coils. Each detail, ornament and element of clothing was the fruit of lengthy discussion, dispute and search for the best version for reproduction. The artists and restorers followed to the maximum extent the originals in preparing and assembling the more than 6000 separate elements and parts of the female costume. The reconstruction of the ceremonial attire was made using the materials from the archeological excavations of K.V. Chugunov, G. Partsinger and A. Nagler by artist-restorers in the State Hermitage N.A. Panchenko, S.G. Burshneva, O.Yu. Senatorova, O.L. Semenova, N.B. Yankovskaya, M.G. Popova, À.I. Karpechenkov, À.V. Chulin, and laboraroty technician A.A. Karpechenkov as well as laboratory director À.I. Bantikov. The expert director of the program of reconstruction A. Yu. Àlekseev is director of the Department of Archeology of Eastern Europe and Siberia and holds a doctorate in history. |
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