Tuva.Asia / The New Research of Tuva

Students of the IIMK team led by V. A. Semyonov and M. E. Kilunovskaya  opened a burial at Eki-Otuk site. The work was conducted in unusual and even extreme conditions; an underground river flows right through the burial - one of branches of river Eerbek , which flows along all the digs on the surface.

During investigations of this burial, a Chinese buckle was found with an image of Teo-te mask. Presumably the find can be dated to  19^th-6^th centuries before our era. It needs to be noted that this is the first time in his lengthy working experience that V. A. Semyonov has seen a buckle of this type in Tuva. 

Everybody wants to know what was found  during the digs in Eerbek district. After the sensational finds in the Valley of the Tsars, many want to know if these burials also contain gold. What did they find, and what are the most valuable finds? Gold is not that valuable. No matter how strange it sounds, it is true. Kaadyr-ool Bicheldei says: "We are praying that they don't find gold here. Gold is always a problem and it attracts unhealthy interest. "

Gold served ritual purposes or else it was simply an adornment - that is all.  The material culture is much more interesting. To reconstruct the epoch, to visualize the life of the Scythians, one has to find work tools and armor.

Our republic is rich in natural water therapy (balneology) resources. To date, more than 100 water springs and water bodies have been identified, that have some degree of  therapeutic properties. Every year several tens of thousands of people undergo therapy at our arzhaans. The phenomenon of "arzhaan therapy", which has been a fundamental component of the culture and tradition of Tuvan nation since the most ancient times, is a unique phenomenon preserved on a large scale only in Tuva among SNG countries and Russia.

On the eve of the official start of the next mass season of therapy at the arzhaans, we decided to talk with one of the few researchers who specialize in the study of hydromineral resources of Tuva, candidate of  chemistry, K. D. Arakchaa.

Publishing house "Voskhod-A" in Moscow just released a new work of a Tuvan physician and writer, Anna Lamajaa - a novel "Paths of Silver Shamanesses" (M. 2011). The work is devoted to the hard life of  one f members of an ancient shamanic lineage of Tuva - the family of Silver Shamanesses, and its members in 20^th century. Traditional existence of Tuvan nomads is shown, and changes resulting from transition to settled way of life; Soviet realities of life in Tuva and new changes in the lives of  Tuvan population associated with reforms of the 1990's .  All these events obtain new meaning when seen  through the veil of the mysterious, mystical worlds inhabited by the main heroine - the heiress of the shamanic lineage, and other people with  extraordinary abilities.

The 2^nd International Felt Festival "Patterns of Life", dedicated to the 90^th anniversary of Tuvan People's Republic will take place on 15 August on Arat square.

It is the only place where it is possible to see and obtain felt products and souvenirs made in various corners of Russia and Mongolia.

Ministry of Culture of Tuva is the organizer of the contest, with financial support of Ministry of  agriculture and provisioning of Republic Tyva. Master craftsmen from Republic Altai, Bashkortostan, Khakassia, as well as from many districts of Mongolia will participate in the festival. An exhibition and sale of yurts will be organized, a fair of folk industries products, felt-making workshops by Tuvan, Khakass, Altai and Mongolian artisans who have preserved traditional methods, of production, and decoration of  souvenirs. There will be a contest for the best felt artifact, the best presentation and the best yurt.

At  "Aldyn-Bulak" ethnocultural complex, tomorrow at 19:00 hours,  there will be an official presentation of a statuette of  "Green Tara" Goddess by Sainkho Namtchylak to the 'Aldyn-Bulak" complex. The ancient statuette of the Goddess has traveled through the largest monasteries of the Buddhist world, and finally will receive a place of honor at "Aldyn-Bulak".  Green Tara is a beloved goddess of the Buddhists. She brings freedom from sorrow, poverty and  pain, brings joy and destroys evil. Visitors may touch the holy statuette and ask for help for themselves and their close ones. This event so significant for Tuva will be associated with a concert performance by the national artist of Tuva.