Topography Staraya Ladoga: Actual questions

Abstract

Medieval Ladoga (after 1704 — the village of Staraya Ladoga) was the first urban centre of Northern Russia. It emerged no later than the middle of the 8th century AD. The medieval city boasts a unique archaeological and architectural complex, comprising a stone fortress, an extensive settlement, stone temples and monasteries, and various funerary sites such as hills, mounds, ground burial grounds, and Christian cemeteries. Scientific archaeological research has been intermittently conducted at this site for over 150 years. Researchers have repeatedly investigated the topography of the Ladoga complex, whose history reflects the formation of the medieval city. Ladoga grew from a small settlement in the river floodplain, involved in the processes of trans-European interaction, into a major centre with developed craft production. However, it is still debated whether the settlement had a single nucleus or was formed over time from several closely spaced, isolated farms. Another unresolved issue is the nature of interaction between Ladoga and its immediate neighbourhood. Although archaeological research has a long history, there is currently insufficient data to definitively address the questions posed. The article reviews the main works on the history of settlement development. It argues for the need to revisit the internal topography of Ladoga, considering the accumulation of new archaeological material. The article presents the initial findings of the field research conducted between 2021 and 2023. Utilizing new technical resources, a contemporary archaeological map of Staraya Ladoga and its surrounding areas, comprising 55 sites, has been produced. Aerial photography and airborne laser scanning complement each other to create topographic plans, build digital elevation models, and search for previously unknown or destroyed archaeological sites. Unlike aerial photography, which is effective in open terrain, airborne laser scanning allows for the detection of small differences in relief regardless of the degree of forest cover. When processing laser scanning results, only the ground surface is left visible, revealing all relief irregularities, including archaeological objects such as burial mounds, ditches, ramparts, and old excavation contours. The Zemlyanoye Gorodishche (Earthen Castle) is considered the most valuable archaeological site, spanning from the 8th to the 17th centuries. Several generations of archaeologists excavated the site intermittently between 1909 and 2013, covering an area of over 2000 square metres. Despite extensive archaeological research, there are still unresolved issues regarding the development of general stratigraphic and planigraphic schemes for the entire studied area. The imperfection of the methodology used to fix past years is the reason for this. A considerable amount of data remains in archives. Publishing the complete results of excavations, which span over 100 years, is a task for the future.