The Ice-Maiden
Permafrost
Note: this poem is about the βSiberian Ice Maiden β, whose burial chamber was found in 1993. She was frozen in an incredible state of preservation, despite being buried around 2400 years ago. She was found with tattoos still preserved on her skin, and was probably of high standing in her society. Most relevant to the poem are the details that she was buried with the heads of six horses, was found to have died young from breast cancer, and that she had suffered broken bones prior to death - possibly from falling from a horse while in a weakened physical state due to the cancer.
If you want to read more about her, I am going to link a post below the poem. The post is by one of my favourite Substack writers, Prateek Dasgupta, and is very thorough in laying out the full story of her discovery - as well as what we know about her life, and the ethical implications of studying the bodies of the dead.
Link to Prateek Dasguptaβs post:
Writing: Β© Jennifer McBride, 2025 (Paperfly)
Photos (preview image and post photo): both by Ehaan Deva, 2019
(I edited the main post photo to add a replica of one of the Ice Maidenβs tattoos.)
Terrific writing. Love it. β¨οΈ
Very lovely/interesting perspective of what I call grave robbing, all science and archaeology people scrambling like dogs for a share of the kill, thank you for that post paint scraper π₯ΆππΈ