The sun is setting on Sacred Mountain, close to the border with Mongolia, in southernmost Tuva, one of the least-known regions in Siberia. In a rocky alcove inside the mountain, a group of female shamans conduct a traditional ceremony. One woman, clothed in long furs and a headdress made from the feathers of predatory birds, offers food to fire spirits. Behind her, another shaman ties prayer flags to a tree – white to symbolise air; green and yellow for earth and water.
Ringed by 2,000-metre-plus mountains and far from the major trade routes, Tuva’s ancient civilisation has remained largely intact. ...
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