Faces Of Asia - Altai

  An Altaian woman on horseback. Reconstruction of the Pazyryk traditional clothes. Altai, Russia.

Another great swap with Elena/4ajka - this card was actually 'lost' and Elena was so kind to resend it. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness, and another awesome set of stamps! :)))

Altai is a federal republic in Russian Federation, the capital being Gorno-Altaysk. It is situated in the very center of the asian continent, at the junction of Siberian taiga, steppes of Kazakhstan and semi-deserts of Mongolia. The ethnic Altay people make for 30% of the population ( Russians are prevailing with 57% ) - they are an ethnic group of Turkic people, with their own language and tradition.

The Pazyryk culture is an Iron Age archaeological culture (6. to 3. century BC) - artifacts and mummified humans were excavatedin the Siberian permafrost in the Altay mountains, and the most renowned is the 'Ice Princess', found on the Ukok Plateau. This on the card is the reconstruction of the Ukok Princess traditional clothes! Wow what a lesson in history - and a great field to imagine stories of the days past :)

Siberian Flying Squirrel, Russia

Time for another new animal in my collection! Result of a multiple swap with elena (4ajka) :)
Beautiful flower stamps, thank you!

I do have a 'list' of my favourite animals but i also want to 'meet' as many different species as possible - am even considering to collect every single mammal card ever issued! Wow it sounds scary even as i write it..xD

So here is the immensely cute siberian flying squirrel (pteromys volans), which can be found in the vast area from the Baltic sea in the west to the pacific coast in the east.  Its the only species of flying squirrel found in Europe! They are shy nocturnal animals, and therefore rarely seen. But i'll keep my eyes open if or when i go to the northern places :)