Origin of the Alans

[Alanus]

Beyond the Issedones, beyond the Arimaspi, to the Hyperborians who lived at the Edge of the Earth.

In the above post, I placed the Issedones within the Arzhan complex, perhaps both Arzhan I and II, the latter approximate to the last "outpost" visited by Aristeas. Before we turn to the Arimaspi (Yuezhi) who "steal gold from the Gryphons," I like to locate the eastern-most people recorded by Aristeas-- the elusive Hyperborians.

The Northern Trade road followed by Aristeas didn't stop at Arzhan, but continued to the south, passing through the Arimaspian Altai down to the "hump" in the Yellow River (still Arimaspi territory, as identified through the Yuezhi). From that point the road went east, passing above the Yellow Sea, and ended on the east coast of the Korean Peninsula-- the land of "the Hyperborians who extend to the sea." [Herodotus, Book IV, Chap. 13] Today, the descendants of the Hyperborians live in modern Korea and still speak an Altaic language.

"The discovery of the Ukok (Altai) mummies created a stir in world archaeology, arousing huge interest in Korea and Japan, where popular theory holds that their civilizations emerged from southern Siberia (aka Hyperborians). An exhibition featuring the [Ukok] Princess toured Asia. In South Korea, she was met like a diva, with vast crowds, admirers on their knees, and bouquets of red roses." (Mail & Guardian, Africa's Best Read, 21 Nov. 1997)

   
Early Korean history isn't well recorded, but we do find a kurgan culture-- the Silla Kingdom, as founded in 60BC. 

   
Silla archers on a hunt. They're reminiscent in style to archers portrayed in Altaic petroglyphs.

   
A Silla "Wolf-Gryphon" sword pommel, the animal style very similar to Karasuk, as well as Minusinsk Tagar and Altai Saka.

   
A late Silla Kingdom cataphact. There's hardly any difference between this heavy horseman and those found on the Orlat Plaque, the descriptions of the Roxolani, or even pictorial Sassanian versions.

The Hyperborians must have also included the Xiongnu and emerging Turkic tribes, all of which spoke a version of the Altaic language. We discover the Arimaspi as the easternmost speakers of Indo-Iranian... and the easternmost people of the "Scythian" culture.