From School Library Journal
Gr 6-9-Buell's description of the excavation of the burial site of a Pazyryk woman, her horses, and her possessions, all preserved in an icy tomb in the Altai Mountains of southern Siberia, is engaging. However, the author goes beyond the discovery to examine how the Russian archeologist Natalya Polosmak and her colleagues made educated guesses about the lives and culture of individuals who rode horses and tended other animals 2500 years ago. The team studied artifacts from this and other Pazyryk burials and examined the ethnography of the customs of modern-day people living in the region. Among other topics presented are the changes in lifestyles and interactions of groups brought on by the taming and riding of horses and the dilemma of scientists when their work comes into conflict with belief systems of local peoples as in the case of opening burial sites. No matter how complex the subject, the information is lucidly presented, carefully footnoted, and illustrated with high-quality photographs. A timeline, an excellent glossary, and suggestions for further reading (including Internet sites) are valuable additions. Readers who found Buell's Ice Maiden of the Andes (21st Century, 1997) fascinating, as well as those interested in archeology, will appreciate this title.-Elizabeth Talbot, University of Illinois, Champaign
Copyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
