Ancient Siberian Reindeer-Bone Armor Discovered

Reindeer armor was found at a archaeological dig in the Arctic Circle. It is highly decorative and researchers believe it was an offering to Gods.

In a turn of events that makes our world seem a little more Dungeons and Dragons, archaeologists have found a 2,000-year-old suit of armor made of reindeer antlers. The odd suit was uncovered in the Arctic Circle. It was highly decorative, and researchers believe that it was intended to be an offering to ancient polar gods. Metal bands across the world have been notified.

www.historyinorbit.com...

This dig site has dug since the 1930's and 18,000 artifacts have been pulled out of the site. The armor has differing degrees of ornamentation and it seems that it was the warrior who used the armor who did the ornamentation to his armor. Then left it to the Gods.

Over 18,000 artifacts have been unearthed there since archaeologists began excavating it in the thirties. The iconography of the artifacts suggest a religious idolatry for bears among the tribe that created them.

“There are about 30 plates in the collection of Ust-Polui. They differ regarding the degree of preservation, as well as the size, location of mounting holes, and the presence or absence of ornamentation,” says Andrey Gusev, an archaeologist. “The ornamentation on the plates can be individual, that is after the thorough analysis we could say how many warriors left armour here, judging by the style of decorations.”

That is awesome ...

It is amazing how folks adapted and made similar things to other regions with the tools and supplies they had..

Clearly it was off Santa Clauses Reindeer, to stop hairfoot Halfling children ganging up with Gnomish children. In order to shoot Blitzem or Rudolf with there +5 sling shots of present liberation.

Surprised it was not unearthed with the Holy Grail. Front page "real news" today Santa was constructing an army to overthrow the Romans/Hebrews and save Jesus Or to whisk him off safely after hanging around for a while waiting, for retirement in Nepal.

a reply to: Irishhaf

From the looks of the armor it was not comfortable. More comfortable than a knife, but still.

a reply to: seasonal

Creative and resourceful. 2,000 years old - I wonder how long this practice was in use before this specific specimen's lifetime

More on Ust-Polui,

siberiantimes.com... a-bear/

It was only in 1993, after the end of the Soviet era, that a Senior Fellow from the Centre for the Study of the Arctic, Natalia Fedorova, began to work here again. 'The intertribal sacred place Ust-Polui was functioning on the Arctic Circle in Western Siberia in the 1st century BC,' she wrote, pointing out that the site was beyond what was then the 'civilised world' stretching from 'the Mediterranean to the Huang He basin and occasionally interrupted by deserts and mountains', and also outside the 'second circle' of nomadic tribes on the Eurasian steppes.

'It was located on the cross-roads of the natural zones and the cultural traditions. While meeting there during the sacred ceremonies the people from various territories of the Ob region exchanged knowledge, technology and cultural achievements, in these meetings they created new cycles of magic legends and epic tales, the motifs of which inspired the ancient artists.

'Having performed the sacred rites the people distributed the material evidence of the contacts across the wide spaces of the West Siberian taiga. The remote northern sacred place became one of the facts of the common culture of the world. The archeological monument known as the settlement (sacrificial place) Ust-Polui was located within the bounds of the contemporary city of Salekhard, the capital of the Yamal-Nenets autonomous Okrug'.

Very cool information Seasonal!

Thats pretty bad ass

Have they had it identified? If it was for a god its gotta be at least AC -2 and probably has a +3 con or str bonus

a reply to: seasonal

Very interesring stuff,
I previously posted about another bone armor find,
Ancient Bone Armor.
The style seems to have persisted.

My brother made a face armor out of a cows pelvis and a welders hood.
It is actually pretty scary looking.

a reply to: skunkape23

Which goes to show good design never goes out of style? Kudos to him!
There's something almost magical and primordial out of creating from basic natural materials that links us to our ancestors.

originally posted by: seasonal
a reply to: Irishhaf

From the looks of the armor it was not comfortable. More comfortable than a knife, but still.

It reminds me somewhat of Japanese armor made from bamboo. Of course, it's far too old to be a direct inspiration but still it does look a bit like that.

a reply to: seasonal


Nice find, Seasonal. Off the charts on the cool scale

The article says the bone plates where probably sewn to a leather backing, I think that would have made it more comfortable.

ETA: Wonder if they'll be able to enhance the decorations so they're easier to see?

I saw this earlier today and it's an epic find. Once there is more detail i'm bloody making some!

Edit: the shapes of the plates has jogged my memory, i've seen this in a book before, iirc some 15 years ago. Saw this report elsewhere too today but it aint a new find.

I've long planned some armour from horn plates/scales and mocked up sleeves which a friend attacked with a stick and the stuff was superb.

Wouldnt be cheap to make from antler (not much deer hunting in the uk) but it would look wonderful. I can dream!

originally posted by: Byrd

originally posted by: seasonal
a reply to: Irishhaf

From the looks of the armor it was not comfortable. More comfortable than a knife, but still.

It reminds me somewhat of Japanese armor made from bamboo. Of course, it's far too old to be a direct inspiration but still it does look a bit like that.

That was my first thought as well.