D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University (EKTU) proudly announces a remarkable achievement by one of its researchers on the world scientific stage.
Mikhail Viktorovich Vavulin, a research fellow at the Altyn Altay Museum of EKTU, became a member of a large-scale international research project that has attracted worldwide attention from both the academic community and the public.
Mikhail Vavulin is a specialist in archaeometry and digital archaeology, author of more than 34 scientific publications, including 12 articles in peer-reviewed journals indexed in international databases such as Scopus.
His H-index (6) speaks for itself — a recognition of his scientific impact acknowledged by the global research community.
Since 2022, he has been part of an international research consortium that includes scholars from Germany, France, Switzerland, the United States, Kazakhstan, and Russia.
Their object of study is a 2,300-year-old “ice mummy” of the Pazyryk culture, preserved with its original tattoos.
Mikhail Vavulin’s contribution proved to be pivotal: using advanced digital photogrammetry and near-infrared imaging techniques, he carried out an exceptionally precise digital reconstruction of the mummy.
Thanks to his work, the team was able — for the first time — to study the ancient tattoos in extraordinary detail, down to the individual “handwriting” of the tattoo masters.
This breakthrough made it possible to reconstruct the technology of tattooing in antiquity more accurately than ever before.
The results of the study were published in Antiquity — one of the world’s most authoritative archaeological journals (98th percentile in global citation rankings).
The publication became a true scientific breakthrough, covered by more than 50 leading international media outlets, including CNN, LiveScience, The Guardian, RIA Novosti, and others.
This recognition is powerful proof that science knows no borders, and that Kazakhstani researchers are capable of contributing at the forefront of global scientific discovery.
Mikhail Vavulin’s story is a vivid example of how passion for science, a multidisciplinary approach, and a commitment to exploring the past can lead to discoveries that transform our understanding of ancient cultures.
D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University rightfully takes pride in its scientists and will continue to foster and support research initiatives that open new horizons for both Kazakhstani and global scholarship.
