a trail of thoughts

Heddal Stave Church

In Notodden, Norway. Photographed after 1865

This plush bird was sealed within the frozen barrows of Pazyryk, Siberia, for more than two millennia, where a unique microclimate enabled it to be preserved. The permafrost ice lense formation that runs below the barrows provided an insulating layer, preventing the soil from heating during the summer and allowing it to quickly freeze during the winter; these conditions produced a separate microclimate within the stone walls of the barrows themselves, thereby aiding in the preservation of the artifacts inside.

This is just one of the many well-preserved artifacts that have been found at Pazyryk. These artifacts are attributed to the Scythian/Altaic cultures.

Acrylic on paper mounted on linen 39 ¼ x 25 3/8 in. (99.5 x 64.5 cm) Estate/Inventory MAR G Collection of Kate Rothko Prizel.