Archaeological Items Research Articles

Legal consequences of the discovery of a treasure containing archaeological objects: problems of legal regulation

The article reveals the legal problems associated with finding a treasure containing cultural values. According to the author, the person who found the treasure, without special knowledge, cannot independently determine its cultural significance. The paper also examines the legal consequences of the discovery of a treasure, which includes archaeological items. The normative legal regulation of these public relations has its own peculiarities. Based on the analysis of the norms of the current legislation of the Russian Federation in the field of protection of cultural heritage objects and law enforcement practice related to the finding of archaeological treasures, determining their fate, the author formulates a number of conclusions and proposals for improving legislation.

Archaeological Collections from the Jōmon Period in the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera)

This article presents an analysis and additional description of archaeological items of the Jōmon period from A.V. Grigoriev’s collection (No. 1294) at the Department of Archaeology of the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera) RAS in St. Petersburg. The study focuses on the description of decorative motifs and the stylistic attribution of selected samples of pottery. The analysis is based on the published data about the Ōmori shell mound (Tokyo, Honshu Island), visited by Grigoriev in 1878 as a part of the expedition from the Imperial Russian Geographical Society. The early stage of the Japanese archaeology is described with reference to the Ōmori shell mound. Special attention is given to specific features of the Jōmon decorative style. The geographic location of the site suggests that the samples are associated with the Kasori B and Horinouchi styles. Contrary to the Russian tradition, the emphasis is made on stylistic interpretation rather than technology and typology. The combinations of large zonally arranged rectangular designs and spiral motifs are typical of the Kasori B style, to which several samples belong. Others reveal vertically and horizontally arranged patterns consisting of incised arcuate and straight lines, typical of the Horinouchi style.

Chicago Area Archaeological Collections at the Field Museum

Abstract From surface finds to excavated collections, the Field Museum cares for thousands of archaeological items from the Chicago area. The collections reflect those put together by several key antiquarians in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, materials recovered by early archaeologists starting in the 1920s using the Chicago Field Method, and material resulting from a pre–cultural resource management salvage excavation in the 1950s. The collections also include donations in the twentieth century by private individuals. This article contextualizes the history of these archaeological collections and their impact on recent studies and descendant communities, including the Hočąk, Baxoje, Nutachi, Jiwere, Myaamia, Kickapoo, Kaskaskia, and Potawatomi. In so doing, we outline how the provenance of these collections reflects temporal trends of museum archaeology and curation and how various epistemologies are being brought to bear by recent work of archaeologists and Indigenous artists and craftspeople.

Developing Heritage Preservation on Ilha de Moçambique Using a Historic Urban Landscape Approach

In 2011, a new approach was introduced into the management of heritage on Ilha de Moçambique by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Known as the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach, this seeks to expand current understanding of the island’s historic urban heritage, recognising that ‘heritage’ is not limited solely to monuments or the built environment. Importantly, HUL incorporates urban sustainable development within the scope of heritage preservation. Given this, the adoption of the HUL approach has the potential to contribute to ensuring the authenticity and integrity of the built heritage, as prescribed by the 1972 UNESCO Convention, of Ilha de Moçambique, and effectively maintaining the Outstanding Universal Values that resulted in the declaration of the island as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. This paper discusses how local communities use the resources and heritage available to them and the central role of commerce, and the marketplace, in the heritage landscape of the island. A critical aspect of this is the sale of antiquities, including archaeological items, to tourists. Perspectives developed within the Rising from the Depths (RftD) network recently supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) UK, with funding from the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), offer positive alternative solutions to overcome this challenging situation. In particular, the network sought to identify how the tangible submerged and coastal Marine Cultural Heritage (MCH) of Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Madagascar, and its associated intangible aspects, can be utilised to stimulate ethical, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth in the region. Our paper demonstrates how the implementation of the RftD initiative when combined with the HUL approach can help to increase awareness among communities on Ilha de Moçambique about the relevance of their heritage and the need for preserving it while meeting everyday needs.

Combing through museum collections. A “museomic” application of ZooMS

AbstractThis article presents the application of Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) to osseous Longobard artifacts from the collection of the “Musei Reali di Torino” (MRT; Torino, Italy). Like most archaeological items made of worked bone/antler in museum collections, the raw material of such specimens is usually attributed to deer, often without accurate taxonomic attribution. Therefore, the main aim of the present investigation was to shed light on taxonomical aspects using biomolecular approaches.We first examined the collagen preservation of the artifacts, then we compared three sampling methods (invasive, eraser‐based, and bag‐based), and we evaluated the quality of the collagen fingerprint obtained. Overall, we found a good, albeit not optimal, biomolecular preservation status, even in heavily restored objects coming from the 19th‐century collections.Out of 37 specimens analyzed through matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight–mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF‐MS) and nanoHPLC‐tandem MS, 31 yielded usable data. The results confirmed the widespread use of cervid as the osseous raw material for comb‐making in Longobard times in Piedmont, but we also found that bovine bones (Bos but also other taxa belonging to family Bovidae, such as caprines) and equid bones were exploited—demonstrating opportunistic use of animal resources. As far as the method is concerned, the ZooMS peptide markers useful to distinguish between bovids and cervids (m/z 1580 vsm/z 1550) (Buckley et al., 2009) are more frequently detected when analyzing bone chips, that is, with the invasive sampling method, rather than collagen extracts obtained using non‐invasive techniques. Nonetheless, the eraser method (eZooMS) seems to be a good trade‐off between invasivity and quality of the information obtained: eZooMS sampling does not leave visible marks on the object and therefore can contribute to facilitating the routine application of biomolecular methods in the daily practice of museum conservation laboratories. Indeed, an important outcome of the present study has been the establishment of a close collaboration between museum and biomolecular specialists.Taken together, our results suggest that the Longobards had a preference towards locally available resources, although this work did not highlight a clear association between raw material (deer, cattle, and other bovids) and object typology (in the case of combs) or function, except for buttons. The overall information obtained by this study confirms the potential of biomolecular approaches for reconstructing the biography of museum objects with a long and complex life and demonstrates the value of zooarchaeological study of museum collections.

Social status and oral health in early medieval Switzerland: The case of the Baar-Früebergstrasse site (Canton Zug, Switzerland)

Grave goods do not always reflect the socioeconomic status of the buried people when they were living, so the interpretation of these archeological items may be biased. This paper examines the oral pathologies of individuals (n = 36) from the early medieval cemetery at Baar-Früebergstrasse (Switzerland) and explores the relationship between these pathologies and grave status. The analysis focused on dental parameters such as tooth wear, caries, and periodontitis, among others. Only lower teeth were analyzed. While the general dental status between individuals buried in wealthy and standard graves appear to be very alike, some interesting patterns emerged. Tooth-wear values were similar among sexes and grave goods categories, suggesting a common diet. The incidence of caries was generally low in the studied individuals and grave status does not appear to have a significant influence on this. In addition, alveolar bone status showed significantly different values for the two social groups. These results suggest that no clear dietary differences can be assumed for individuals found in wealthy and standard graves at Baar, given the very similar nature of their oral conditions. However, the limited sample size of the wealthy group necessitates caution in generalizing these results. Further research with larger sample sizes can provide a more comprehensive understanding of oral health disparities associated with socioeconomic factors in the Early Middle Ages.

A WARRIOR’S BURIAL OF THE BULAN-KOBY CULTURE AT THE KOKSA BURIAL GROUND (materials of excavations by S.I. Rudenko in Altai)

The article discusses the collection of archaeological items from the State Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg) which were obtained by S.I. Rudenko during his excavations in Altai in 1925. The paper provides detailed descriptions of the shape and design of weapons, belt sets and household tools, supplemented with the data of exact dimensions, drawings and photographs. The authors consider a significant body of analogies based on which the complex of artefacts is dated from the 2nd – first half of the 4th century AD. An analysis of the goods and the funeral rite made it possible to include the burial from Koksa in the circle of the Belyi Bom stage sites of the Bulan-Koby archaeological culture. The composition of the goods indicates that the burial belonged to a professional man-at-arms of the middle command level in the military hierarchy in the rank of centurion.

D.G. Messerschmidt’s Collection of Siberian Antiquities in Drawings at the St. Petersburg Archive of the Academy of Sciences

This study focuses on the drawings of items collected during D.G. Messerschmidt’s fi rst multidisciplinary expedition to Siberia in 1719–1727. Pictures of the artifacts have been preserved among the documents held by the Academy of Sciences Archive in the personal papers of the traveler, which includes his fi eld journals, the appendices of his reports to the Pharmaceutical (Medical) Registry, and a large handwritten treatise “Sibiria Perlustrata” (1727), outlining the expedition’s fi ndings. In 1728, Messerschmidt’s archaeological collection was included as part of Peter the Great’s Siberian Collection, exhibited at the Kunstkamera. Watercolor and pencil drawings and engravings depicting the exhibits are identifi ed. Handwritten descriptions and drawings of the items have made it possible to a certain extent to reconstruct the fi rst encyclopedist’s Siberian archaeological collection, which perished during the 1747 fi re at the Kunstkamera. As Messerschmidt’s graphic works demonstrate, he documented items spanning the time from the Bronze Age to the Late Middle Ages and covering the territory from the Urals to the Trans-Baikal region, including things imported from Western Europe, China, and Central Asia. Also, he collected archaeological items representing virtually all cultures of the Minusinsk Basin. It is concluded that in the fi rst third of the 18th century, Messerschmidt’s collection was the world’s largest and most representative assemblage of artifacts from northeastern Eurasia.

Бронзові культові руки Римського часу з території України: походження та сакральне призначення (історіографія проблеми)

Two bronze hands associated with the confession of oriental cults are very interesting archaeological items found on theterritoryofUkraine. The first one comes from the village Myshkiv inWestern Podillya, another – from the territory of the Ukrainian steppe. These artifacts are well studied by specialists in archeology, ancient history, theologians, but most of the works on this subject are written in German, Polish and Russian and, because of different reasons, are inaccessible to the Ukrainian reader. The main thesis of the article is an attempt to generalize diverse approaches, versions and concepts and to represent a relatively integral picture of the origin and religious purpose of these cult hands. The main idea of the article is to publish some quite new conclusions and clarifications made during the author's own research. The author examines the history of the discovery of these monuments, indicates the places of their storage, presents detailed sculptural descriptions. While speaking about the hand from Myshkiv, the text of the inscription is clearly reproduced. Three different interpretations of this inscription, offered in the works of T. Rybicki (ego), E. Bormann (a), M. Bandrivsky and O. Bandrovsky, are given, as well as their translations into Ukrainian. The approaches of various scientists on the issue of the sacred purpose of the hand from Myshkiv were analyzed in the article. T. Rybicki considered that it is the top of a Roman military standard. According to J. Zingerle, it is the hand of a contributor who has made a dedication to Jupiter Dolichenus for his military success. But D. Lusthaus thinks it is a symbol of the deity himself, which was also served as the top. J. Kolendo and J. Trynkowski defended the opinion of using of this hand only for religious purposes in the sanctuary at Orheiu Bistriței. Figures from Cătunele in Romaniaand Kavarna in Bulgariaare considered to be similar. It is important that the last one has a figure of Victoria, which is absent on the hands from Myshkiv and Cătunele. Basing on the interpretation of the sign V engraved on the hand as – miliaria (the thousandth), T. Rybicki, E. Bormann, J. Zingerle, J. Kolendo and J. Trynkowski believe that it is “cohorsprima Flavia Ulpia Hispanorum miliaria equitat civium Romanorum”. Instead, M. Bandrovsky and O. Bandrovsky interpret this sign as “equitataquingenaria” (the five hundredth cavalry) and correlate it with “prima I Hispanorum pia fidelis equitata quingenaria”. B. Farmakovsky's position about the appointment of a hand from the territory of the former Ekaterinoslav province is considered. His thought that such objects may be associated not only with Sabazios or Serapis, but also with the cults of other deities, has been proved. But there is no answer yet, whom exactly the hand from the territory of the Ukrainian steppe was dedicated. Instead, it is known that the cause of the donation was the childbirth of an unknown woman. B. Farmakovsky's characteristic of all available reliefs on the hand is presented. According to these arguments, the images of animals on the statuette had to turn away the harmful effects of the evil eye. Basing on this, the hand can be defined as a cult object that has an apotropaic character. The results of the study include detailed analysis of historiography devoted to the study of bronze cult hands found in Ukraine, the involvement of a large amount of additional literature, the presentation of a number of images of similar monuments. The votive character of the Myshkiv hand and the apotropaic character of the Ekaterinoslav one is determined. There are many strong arguments in favour of the statement that the hand from Myshkiv has a direct connection with the thousandth cohort of Spaniards.

Soft Ionization mass spectrometry of lipid residues in archaeological findings: ESI vs APCI

Abstract The organic residues that are found preserved in ceramics may be an extraordinary source of information regarding the function of the archaeological items and therefore provide insights on the life of our ancestors. In this view, lipids, that make up a major part of naturally occurring fats and oils, have gained in the last decades a special attention in molecular archaeology research. However, speciation of lipid is rather complicated due to the variety of congeners, the existence of several structures within the same raw formula, the presence of positional isomers. Soft ionization coupled to mass spectrometry has been proved to be powerful tool to manage this complexity because enable structural elucidation trough a tailored fragmentation, and may adopted with low amount of sample even as mixture, which is not suitable to other analytical techniques. Under this respect, mass spectra obtained from artificial weathered reference material and archaeological material are here presented, and some interesting feature discussed, with a specific focus to triacylglycerols (TAGs) the most abundant lipid class in fat and oils

The end of the Ice Age in southern Europe: Iberian images in the Palaeolithic to Post-Palaeolithic transition

The documentation of Palaeolithic art in the open air, together with direct dates for parietal art and the study of territories marked by the last hunter groups in southern Europe, supports new interpretations of Palaeolithic art and its continuity in the early Holocene. We provide updated information about the graphic representations in that time of transition, grouped under the term Style V. We also reflect on the chronological framework of some themes and techniques for which dates are available, from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Neolithic. These topics reveal the strength of the Palaeolithic background in more recent versions of prehistoric art, especially the schematic art associated with the first farmers. These new considerations are added to the presence of ­Palaeolithic and Post-Palaeolithic art throughout Europe and all over the world, which shows how symbols are social traits of communication associated with human groups. The study of con­nections through these archaeological items, with their undeniable materiality, is a future challenge that will ­undoubtedly produce interesting results.

Ceramic building materials from the ancient Témesa (Calabria region, Italy): Raw materials procurement, mix-design and firing processes from the Hellenistic to Roman period

Ceramic building materials (CBM) are interesting archaeological items for gathering the material culture identity and urban setting of the ancient populations since their production is generally related to the local availability of clayey raw materials and advancements of technological skills of ancient makers.This paper investigates the Hellenistic and Roman productions of ceramic building materials from the archaeological site of Témesa on the Tyrrhenian coastline of Calabria region (southern Italy), a settlement where a flourishing ceramic tradition has been attested for all of its occupation phases, from the late Archaic to the Roman period. Here, the local availability of clayey and sandy raw materials permitted the development of a thriving worksite. A combined study of mineralogical, petrographic and micropaleontological features of archaeological samples and geological raw materials collected nearby the archaeological settlement, permitted to constrain the raw materials sources, and investigate the technological level achieved between the second half of the 4th century BCE and the 3rd century CE.This study highlighted that most of CBM was made by mixing sands from a nearby fluvial deposit with upper Miocene clayey raw materials. Chemical composition and micropaleontological investigation of the foraminiferal content of archaeological samples and clays validated the possible exploitation of local raw materials. Textural parameters and the mineralogical assemblage of temper grains, characterized by the peculiar presence of metamorphic lithics, also attested the use of Savuto river sands. Ceramic technology accounts for a firing process at reasonably high temperatures, evidencing the good technological level of production.Moreover, the presence of samples characterized by mix-designs and mineralogical assemblages consistent with geological materials from Campania region witnesses the importation of ceramic materials from other sites, suggesting the existence of operating trades as already attested for other sites of Tyrrhenian coast.

История формирования фондов Золотой Орды в хранении Государственного исторического музея

Research objectives: To study the composition and geography of the Golden Horde collections conserved in the State Historical Museum. It is necessary to demonstrate: how museum collections are used as an essential tool of the modern researcher; how the attitude towards this source of information changes in a chronological perspective; how the absence of any types of sources’ information encourages researchers to discover new directions and develop new archaeological aspects of their study. Additionally, attention should be paid to the question of key events that became starting points for the beginning of archaeological research of the Golden Horde cities. Research materials: The lists of the collections of archaeological department of the State Historical Museum, the main inventory book of the museum, and archaeological items from the the Golden Horde collections of the archaeological department. Results and novelty of the research: The author identified the following methods of replenishing the collections: finds of private individuals of the second half of nineteenth century, items of famous collectors (P.I. Shchukin), archaeological finds of the founders of the museum (P.S. Uvarova), excavations on the instructions of the Imperial Archaeological Commission (D.Ya. Samokvasov, N.I. Veselovsky, V.A. Gorodtsov, A.A. Spitsyn, etc.), transfers from other museums (Rumyantsev Museum, Hermitage), research by museum staff (E.V. Weimarn, V.P. Levasheva, V.L. Egorov, L.L. Savchenkova, N.I. Shishlina, etc.), receipts from the state bodies of the Soviet period (the Simferopol hoard), excavations by archaeologists from friendly research organizations (G.A. Fedorov-Davydov, M.G. Kra­marovsky, etc.). Many items from these collections have taken their place in the exhibition space. The exhibition space itself was built with the database of information and publications of researchers being taken into account. Thus, the finds of the Volga expedition made it possible to display the main aspects of the statehood of the Golden Horde: its architectural traditions, culture, and all types of crafts. Also, the exposition contains items of armament – that is, the main nomadic component of the Golden Horde civilization – as well as two paizas of the heyday of the Golden Horde. Although the exposition cannot reflect all aspects of the Golden Horde civilization, the main (nomadic and sedentary) components are still demonstrated.

Documentation, Analysis and Reconstruction of the Paleo-landuse of Wadi Musa with Special Reference to the Nabataean Period: A Geomatic Study based on Archaeological Evidence

DOI:10.17014/ijog.8.3.427-441Archaeologists and historians throughout time have relied mainly on textual, architectural, and art-historical analyses to understand the historical context of civilizations. This traditional approach has been challenged, however, by the current new practices in archaeological studies, which tend to rely on more scientific methods (e.g. information systems) to understand the wider context of the socio-cultural aspects of past societies. For example, the Nabataean studies, which for more than seventeen decades after the rediscovery of Petra in 1812, are based on the art historical analysis of the rock-cut facades of the the city of Petra. The wider story of the socio-cultural, political, and economic aspects of the Nabataean culture is still not well understood. Just recently archaeological research was undertaken to improve the understanding of the Nabaatean phenomenon from outside Petra. This paper discusses this new attempt to investigate the spatial organization and land use of Wadi Musa during the Nabataean period based on GIS analysis and new archaeological discoveries. Utilizing GIS in discovering historical phenomena provides a new perspective for analysis, whereby structures are treated not as individual archaeological items but rather as a system. This paper also presents a case study that demonstrates the significance of using GIS for historical research by shedding light on the temporal variation of Wadi Musa settlements with special focus on the paleo-landuse of the Nabatean period. The resulting reconstructed map indicates that Wadi Musa was well planned with special zones for elite residents, industry, rural communities, and agriculture. Social segregation/stratification is also well indicated in the plan of the city. The reconstructed map indicates that the strategy for Nabataean land use for Wadi Musa was to use it as a green zone around the city of Gaia.

Khazars or "Saltovo-Majaki Culture"? Prejudices about Archaeology and Ethnicity

This paper deals with the problems and discussions of the diversified cultural changes and the multicultural aspects of prehistoric societies. Prejudices about archaeology and "ethnicity" are exemplified by the almost 150 year old discussions on the Khazar khaganate, alternately a distinct delimited archaeological culture from the 8th-9th-centuries - the Saltovo-Majaki culture. The interpretation of Khazarian material culture has often been made in terms of "ethnicity", and yet the cultural identity, the multiplicity of the society, etc. , are not translated to the material culture. The economical, social and religious changes are the most significant phenomena within the "Saltovo-Majaki culture” and/or the Khazar khaganate: the transition from nomadism to sedentism, from tribal aristocracy to feudalism, and the transformation to a monotheistic religion. The common denominator for the Khazaria and the Saltovo-Majaki culture is, in my opinion, the pluralism of the social structures and economy, and the multidimensional character of cultural identity. The formation of complexes of archaeological items common to the whole of the steppe and forest/steppe areas, does not allow for connections between a specific archaeological material and a specific "ethnic" group of the past or of modern times.

НОРМАТИВНО-ПРАВОВЕ ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ У СФЕРІ НАДАННЯ НАСЕЛЕННЮ КУЛЬТУРНИХ ПОСЛУГ

Розглянуто нормативну основу надання населенню культурних послуг, указано основні нормативно-правові акти у сфері культури й мистецтв, міжнародні документи, які регулюють ці питання. Для подальшої реалізації Концепції реформування системи забезпечення населення культурними послугами обґрунтовано доцільність прийняття Державної програми розвитку національного культурного простору та забезпечення населення культурними послугами. Ця програма передбачатиме законодавче визначення: переліку, змісту та обсягу культурних послуг, що надаються громадянам на безоплатній основі на різних рівнях адміністративно-територіального устрою України; показників та критеріїв оцінки якості надання цих послуг; механізму взаємодії органів виконавчої влади, органів місцевого самоврядування та представників інститутів громадянського суспільства, обміну інформацією між ними з метою своєчасного коригування державної політики щодо надання населенню якісних і доступних культурних послуг тощо. Також обґрунтовано доцільність прийняття Закону України «Прο археοлοгічні пοслуги та οбіг археοлοгічних οбʼєктів», який сприятиме збереженню археοлοгічнοї спадщини та ствοренню єдинοї системи її οхорοни, прοтидії нелегальним розкοпкам та οбмеженню цивільнοгο οбігу археοлогічних предметів. Закон передбачатиме οбовʼязкοве запрοвадження ліцензування діяльності з викοристання детекторів металу, геοсканерів та інших подібних приладів, призначених або адаптованих під пошук металевих предметів, що є невідʼємною умовою Єврοпейської кοнвенції з οхοрοни археοлοгічнοї спадщини, ствοрення правοвих οснοв аматοрськοгο археοлогічнοгο пοшуку, устанοвлення відпοвідальності за пοрушення правил οбігу археοлοгічних предметів.

Examining Neanderthal and carnivore occupations of Teixoneres Cave (Moi\xe0, Barcelona, Spain) using archaeostratigraphic and intra-site spatial analysis

Teixoneres Cave (Moià, Barcelona, Spain) is a reference site for Middle Palaeolithic studies of the Iberian Peninsula. The cave preserves an extensive stratigraphic sequence made up of eight units, which is presented in depth in this work. The main goal of this study is to undertake an initial spatial examination of Unit III, formed during Marine Isotope Stage 3, with the aim of understanding spatial organization and past activities developed by Neanderthals and carnivores (bears, hyenas and smaller carnivores). The total sample analysed includes 38,244 archaeological items and 5888 limestone blocks. The application of GIS tools allows us to clearly distinguish three geologically-defined stratigraphic subunits. Unit III has been previously interpreted as a palimpsest resulting from alternating occupation of the cave by human groups and carnivores. The distribution study shows that faunal specimens, lithic artefacts, hearths and charcoal fragments are significantly concentrated at the entrance of the cave where, it is inferred, hominins carried out different activities, while carnivores preferred the sheltered zones in the inner areas of the cave. The results obtained reveal a spatial pattern characterized by fire use related zones, and show that the site was occupied by Neanderthals in a similar and consistent way throughout the ˃ 7000 years range covered by the analysed subunits. This spatial pattern is interpreted as resulting from repeated short-term human occupations.

РАБОТЫ СЕКТОРА АРХЕОЛОГИИ УПРАВЛЕНИЯ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЙ ОХРАНЫ ОБЪЕКТОВ КУЛЬТУРНОГО НАСЛЕДИЯ АЛТАЙСКОГО КРАЯ В 2019-2020 ГОДАХ (РОССИЯ)

The article considers the main results of the work of the Archaeology Sector of the Department of State Supervision in the Department of State Protection of the Cultural Heritage of the Altai Region, created in 2019. The most important areas of activity of the Archaeology Sector within the framework ofthe transferred federal powers are systematic observation of objects of archaeological heritage, identification of damage because of illegal and unauthorized archaeological work and the implementation of measures for the preservation and protection of archaeological sites. As a result, an external visual inspection and photographic recording of892 objects of the archaeological heritage were conducted. Several facts of damage to objects of archaeological heritage because of illegal archaeological and unauthorized excavation have been established. The article highlights the work of the staff of the Archaeology Sector in the legal and practical sphere of the protection of cultural heritage in 2019-2020. Keywords: sector of archaeology, objects of cultural heritage, settlement, burial mound, cultural layer, ceramic vessel, archaeological items

НЕКОТОРЫЕ РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ ПО СИСТЕМАТИЧЕСКОМУ НАБЛЮДЕНИЮ ОБЪЕКТОВ АРХЕОЛОГИЧЕСКОГО НАСЛЕДИЯ АЛТАЙСКОГО КРАЯ В 2020 ГОДУ

The article is dedicated to the results of the work of the Archaeology Sector of the Department of State Supervision of the Office of State Protection of the Cultural Heritage of the Altai Territory which was founded in 2019. The most important areas of activity of the staff of the Archaeology Sector are the systematic observation of archaeological heritage, the identification of damage as a result of illegal and unauthorized archaeological work, as well as the implementation of measures for the preservation and protection of archaeological sites. The article highlights the work in the regulatory and practical sphere of the protection of the objects of cultural heritage in 2020 at various archaeological sites: barrows, archaeological sites, ancient settlements. During these events, archaeological structures were recorded: dwellings, ditches and ramparts. The results of work on the archaeological sites in the Talmensky, Topchikhinsky, Burlinsky and Slavgorodsky districts of Altai Territory are reflected. These observations complement the available scientific evidence for a number of archaeological sites. Keywords: sectors of archaeology, objects of cultural heritage, settlement, moat, rampart, dwelling, burial mound, cultural layer, ceramic vessel, archaeological items

Формирование коллекции металлических зеркал в собрании Алтайского государственного краеведческого музея

The article examines the history of the receipt of metal mirrors in the funds of the Altai State Museum of Local Lore. Today in its collection there are six items dating from the early Iron Age and the Middle Ages. The collection began to form in the first quarter of the 20-th century. A whole series of metal mirrors was obtained as a result of archaeological excavations by V. A. Mogilnikov in the 1980-s. on the territory of the Forest-Steppe and Mountain Altai. In general, the receipt of this category of archaeological items in the collection of the AGKM was of an episodic nature and was carried out due to expeditionary work, the receipt of random finds and transfers from private individuals.