Continuing Mis-Identification of the Altai Culture

[Alanus]

How remarkably interesting! Much appreciated. mile:

The "Asvin" or "Aswin," were exactly "the horsemen." They're recorded in the oldest of Vedas, their leader being the woman warrior, Vishpala. The Asvin were the first to arrive in northern India from the steppe. (They originated in the Sintashta/Androveno culture, as did the Issedones and Arimaspoi.) At some point, before reaching India, Vispala lost her leg in a battle with the Kela. The Asvin made a prosthetic leg for her so she could fight future battles.

The Indo-Aryan term "Aswin" means the exact same thing as "aspi" found in Herodotus' tribe, the Arimaspi (Arimaspoi)-- "the horsemen." It's probable the Aswin, Issedones, and Arimaspi, all extended from the Sintashta/Androveno Culture, the Aswin going south, the Yue-chi going southeast, while the Karasuk Culture (pre Issedones and Arimaspi) went to the Minusinsk Basin and then the Altai and northern Mongolia. It would be the formation of the Xiong-nu that drove the latter tribes south into the Illi Valley and Ferghana.

Also interesting, and quite telling, the photo of the Issedone/Arimaspi grave in Mongolia I showed in my last post is incredibly similar to the shallow Wusun grave-mounds found in the Illi Valley.

Here is the grave's interior, the mummy encased in log-work:
[attachment=12927]NewfindinginMongolia5(2).jpg[/attachment]

And here is one of the deceased "horseman's" prized possessions:
[attachment=12928]NewfindinginMongolia2(2).jpg[/attachment]