Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has just announced his intention to clone the DNA of ancient Siberian warriors and their horses. Putin’s close minister and adviser has revealed his desire to create an army of royal fighters.
These nomadic warriors belong to the Scythian race – an ethnic group originally from Iran and they once dominated the Eurasian steppe from the northern border of China to the Black Sea region between the 7th and 3rd century BC. The Scythians formed a rich and powerful empire concentrated in what is today Crimea.
The Scythians were feared and respected for their strength in warfare, especially their ability to ride horses. They were one of the first tribes to master the art of horse laughing, moving quickly, and being good at war. In addition to combat skills, the Scythians have a complex culture. Proof of this is the wealthy aristocracy – the rulers who ruled the southern territories of Russia and Crimea. They even repelled the invasion of the Persian king Darius I around 513 BC.
In 1998, archaeologists began to excavate a royal tomb called Arzhan 2 in the Republic of Tuva. Inside this 80-meter-wide mound is a royal warrior, buried with a woman (believed to be the queen or concubine), 14 horses and 9,300 pure gold ornaments, estimated at 20 kg. Without stopping here, they also discovered 33 other skeletons including 5 children. All abilities were sacrificed to bring the king to the afterlife.
Thanks to analyzes, archaeologists have determined that this king was between 40 and 50 years old, died of prostate cancer. During this time, the woman buried with her was only about 30 years old and, notably, was the only one of the 35 people present in the tomb who was not from the Scythian tribe. She could have been poisoned or buried alive with the king’s entourage. This discovery coincides with the archives of the Greek historian – Herodotus of the Scythian funeral ritual – “When a military leader dies, his relatives are like his wife (or concubine).), Bodyguards, advisers, servants … have all been killed. All are the property of the chief, so they must follow him to the tomb.
In addition, the historian Herodotus also describes the Scythian warriors making cloaks from the scalp of the enemies they kill, as well as the use of enemy skulls as cups and drinks. The Scythian army consisted of free warriors, who received no wages in addition to food and clothing or shared the loot when they presented themselves with slain enemies.
In addition, the sophistication of the grave goods shows that the Scythians are highly skilled, rejecting the prejudice that they are only savage cavalry and warriors, migrating and destroying other tribes.
In 2001, a group of German and Russian archaeologists began to excavate the so-called “Valley of the Kings” in Tuva and since then archaeologists have discovered many graves, graves of Scythian warriors dating back 2,500 to 3,000 years. They were both buried with their horses and in Scythian culture horses were very important both on earth and halfway around the world.
3 years ago Sergei Shoigu (he is also from the Republic of Tuva) started a new archeology with Russian and Swiss scientists. He even invited a priest to come to the ceremony to avoid “angering souls”.
Shoigu said at a session of the Russian Geographical Association with President Putin’s remote participation on Wednesday: “Of course, we really want to find organic matter” … On Zvezda TV, “I believe you understand what might happen after that. Something can be done (from the collected specimen), if not like Dolly, “Shoigu said.
The Scythian tombs are under the permafrost, so scientists believe that organic matter is preserved.
