Origin of the Alans

[Alanus]

If the Pazyryk were the Yuechi, were did they hole up between 230-290 BC (I think you mean 290-230 BC?) and the 4th year of Wen (177-ish BC)? You'd say that more then a century of living somewhere would leave a bit of trash, at least?

Robert, thanks for catching the "clerical error."
I meant-- between 230-190 BC and the 4th year of Emperor Wen (177-176 BC). Somebody once said, "Don't listen to what I say. Listen to what I'm thinking." (Or John Carpenter made me do it.)

I corrected the error, so they only left about 13 years worth of trash. I'm not sure how the average historian views these large Saka confederations. In this case (and quite typical), the Yuezhi didn't "live" in the Altai. They actually lived on the surrounding steppe. Only a select few went up to Ukok or Pazyryk, and only in the summer when they could inter the deceased. They brought along the deceased's favorite horses, relatives, and carpenters. The larch logs-- cut to make the interior "cabin"-- were de-barked, preassembled, and numbered with slash-marks.

The local inhabitants actually built the kurgans; and as a rule, after the Saka returned to the steppe, the locals robbed the graves.  In most cases, the "kings" or "queens" actually died some months earlier and were expertly mummified. The brain was removed by trepanning; the internal organs were replaced with straw and herbs, and the body was embalmed with a liquid containing mercury.

I'm very impressed by this particular society, as well as the Wusun who (at this time) lived on the opposite side of the lower Altai along the River Irtish. They, too, play an important role in the formation of the Alans. Both tribes seem more sophisticated than the famous western Scythians of the steppes north of the Black Sea.

Sorry that it took 2 months to finalize the "Yuezhi question." In my next post (or two), I'll locate the original Wusun territory before the Xiongnu invasion. If anyone has any questions or comments, please post them. Thank you.