Mystic river: journeys through the magical landscape of southern Siberia

Anastasia Ivanova first travelled to the southern Siberian republic of Tuva three years ago to carry out research about local shamans. She was mesmerised by the region’s scenery and history and now the Moscow-based photographer returns there every summer. “Buddhism, Orthodox Christianity, Old Believers, shamans – everything is mixed up in one bowl here," Ivanova says. Poised between Russia and Mongolia, Tuva offers an incredible diversity of landscape ranging from sandy, camel-dotted deserts to deer-filled tundra. Here Ivanova captures the Sayan Mountains beloved of Russian painter and spiritualist Nikolai Roerich, the health-giving waters of the Arzhan hot springs and the shamanic altars of Oova, bedecked with multi-coloured wish-ribbons fading in the sun.