Archaeological Institute Research Articles

АКТУАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ ИСТОРИИ РЕГИОНА: ИССЛЕДОВАТЕЛЬСКИЙ ОПЫТ И НАУЧНЫЙ ПОТЕНЦИАЛ ОРДЕНА ЗНАК ПОЧЕТА ИНСТИТУТА ИСТОРИИ, ЯЗЫКА И ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ УФИЦ РАН

For many years, the history and cultural studies of Bashkortostan have been in the center of research attention of scientists of the Order of the Badge of Honor of the Institute of History, Language and Literature of the UFRC RAS (further – IHLL UFRC RAS). Their staff has conducted a significant amount of research devoted to the study of key issues of the history and culture of the region and the country. The results of this research formed the basis for generalizing academic papers, textbooks, and tutorials for students in secondary general education, as well as in secondary specialized and higher educational institutions. A number of historical scholars have formed their own historical trends and schools, and their students continue their work today, following in the footsteps of their mentors. This article traces the scientific activities of the Department of History and Cultural History at the Institute for the History of Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IHLL UFRC RAS), and evaluates its contribution to the development of the national humanities. The most poorly researched and promising scientific fields have also been identified. Scientists from the department are now starting to develop them. Today, they focus on the formation and development of Bashkir society during the Late Middle Ages and in the Modern times, including topics such as demography, statistics, source study, social organization, transformations, spread and development of Islam, institutions in the Ural-Volga region, and the history of individual settlements. The Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IHLL UFRC RAS) has the resources, personnel, and necessary skills to carry out high-quality research in these fields.

What Should We Do With These? Challenges related to (semi-)automatically detected sites and features. A note

Recent advances in machine learning and computer vision techniques have brought (semi-)automatic feature detection within reach of an increasing number of archaeologists and archaeological institutions, including those in Finland. These techniques improve our ability to detect and gather information on archaeological cultural heritage over vast areas in a highly efficient manner. However, the widespread adoption of such methods can also pose significant challenges for archaeological cultural heritage management, especially in relation to certain types of near-ubiquitous archaeological remains from the 17th-20th centuries.

In the Footsteps of the Silk Road: Czech-Kyrgyz Geo-environmental Project

Kyrgyzstan can be represented, geomorphologically-speaking, by a transect between the Fergana lowlands and the Tien Shan highlands and is an outstanding area for the study of paleoclimatic conditions relating to climatic changes. These changes have been crucial for the behaviour of past cultures in this area, especially due to the presence of the Silk Road. A Czech environmental team, covering geology, geomorphology, pedology, paleoecology, archaeobotany, malacology, osteology and many other disciplines, has been following up previous survey fieldwork undertaken in this area. Since 2021, the expeditions in the south-eastern Kyrgyzstan (Osh Region) have been aiming at the structure and settlement pattern development in the contact zone between the fertile Fergana basin and the steppe environment at the foothills of the Pamir-Alai and Tian-Shan Mountains, from prehistory until the present, including the material testimony of life on the ancient and medieval Silk Road. This work is a part of an agreement between the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, the Osh State University and the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnology named after B. Dzamgyrchinov of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic. One of the major challenges of the ongoing geoarchaeological and palaeoecological research is to link climate changes and changes forced by human action with the transformation of settlement and landscape patterns.

Татар кызлары Россия империясе югары уку йортларында (XIX гасыр ахыры – XX гасыр башы)

This article provides archival information about Tatar girls who studied at Russian universities at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. It informs about the educational institutions they attended, admission to schools and the learning environment conditions. During that period, women received education mainly in St. Petersburg. Raziya Kutluyarova was the first among Tatar ladies to study at higher medical courses. It is also known that Amina Batyrshina studied at that school, who later became famous as a doctor and public figure in the city of Baku. In addition, young Tatar women studied specialties related to various sectors of the national economy – polytechnics, trade, literary history, and natural sciences. Higher courses open to women were financed by private donations and from students’ income. Therefore, not everyone could study there. It is known that in 1906–1918 twelve Tatar ladies studied at the Faculty of History and Philology of Kazan Higher Courses. The article also touches on the issue of social activities of Tatar girls who received higher education. Among the girls who completed the courses, there are those who continued to receive higher education and engage in science. One of them, Maryam Gubaidullina, studied at the Kazan North-Eastern Institute of Archeology and Ethnography, gave lectures on the topic “Ethnography of the Kazan Tatars.” As an appendix to the article, a list of Tatar ladies who studied at women's higher courses before the October Revolution is presented.

Spatial Distribution of Finds on the Eastern Outskirts of Poltse I, the Amur Region

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the first excavations at Poltse IThe study addresses the spatial arrangement of features at Poltse I—a Poltse culture settlement near the village of Kukelevo. An analysis of past scholarship reveals the sources of the modern understanding of the geographic and topographic location of the site and of its present condition. Although Poltse I and Poltse II, which is located nearby, were damaged by plowing in 1968, it is possible to continue excavations and obtain new information. On the basis of published materials, field plans in the archives, and artifacts at the SB RAS Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, the first complete plan of excavations at Poltse I has been prepared, showing the arrangement of dwellings. Certain features of their design are described. Ceramic vessels found in each of the ten dwellings are listed. The vessels were placed along the perimeter of the interior, leaving free space around the central hearth and a passage to the exit. Most were concentrated in six dwellings. Only a few of them were used in everyday life, while most could have been destined for trade and barter. The abundance of ceramics (965 specimens and numerous separate fragments) makes Poltse I a key source for information on pottery manufacture, subsistence, and cultural ties. So far, it is impossible to say whether the vessels were manufactured in situ or imported.

И этнограф, и историк, и демограф, и музеевед, и... (к 60-летию Дмитрия Георгиевича Коровушкина)

The article includes information about the biography, scientific, educational and organizational activities of Dmitry Georgievich Korovushkin, Doctor of Historical Sciences, who worked for many years first at Omsk State University, then at the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Today he is a professor at the Siberian University of Consumer Cooperatives. A list of his main scientific works is given.

New Data on Some Older Monetary Finds Within the Drobeta Area

The collection of the Institute of Archaeology in Iasi holds a lot of Roman denarii, consisting of: 1 AR Q. Antonius Balbus (pierced and “repaired”), 1 AR L. Farsuleius Mensor, 1 AR Vitellius, 1 AR Hadrianus, 1 AR Antoninus Pius, 1 AR Antoninus Pius for Diva Faustina I, 1 AR Commodus, 1 AR Commodus for Crispina, and 1 AR Septimius Severus. These coins were handed out to the Institute by Mrs. Rodica Popovici, which she received from Professor Alexandru Dima, between 1960-1962. He would have acquired the denarii back in his hometown, Drobeta-Turnu Severin, during his childhood and student years. Throughout this paper, we have attempted to prove that these coins are unlikely to represent single finds from the Drobeta site. More likely, the issues were part of a hoard of Roman denarii, also containing Republican coins, which had its main core made up of denarii from the Antonine emperors until the reign of Elagabalus or Severus Alexander. Although we have no other information about this hypothetical hoard, the discovery was made in Drobeta or, quite probably, in the vicinity, before the year 1931.

Second Preliminary Report on the Town of Kom Ombo (2019-2021)

This article presents the results of five seasons of excavation and study at the townsite of Kom Ombo in Upper Egypt. The work, carried out by the Cairo branch of the Austrian Archaeological Institute (ÖAI), has concentrated on remains of the Old Kingdom and First Intermediate Period. From the latter, an exceptionally well-preserved building containing numerous round silos, perhaps for grain, and a further building to its south provide evidence for large-scale administrative organisation. To the north lay a cemetery dating from the Old Kingdom into the First Intermediate Period, which overlay occupation levels dating from the later 2nd into the earlier 5th Dynasty. Artefacts associated with these structures—pottery, stamped sealings including examples with royal names, and stone tools—are discussed. Finally, results from cleaning surface features of Roman and later date at the south end of the Kom Ombo tell are described.

Bookshelf: a selection of recent publications at the Institute of Archaeology

Bookshelf: a selection of recent publications at the Institute of Archaeology

Studying at the Institute of Archaeology

Studying at the Institute of Archaeology

Recent scientific research, training and consultancy on ancient ceramics at UCL Institute of Archaeology

This article considers the range and nature of ceramic analyses at the Institute of Archaeology. It highlights the global reach of such work, the analytical facilities available and the depth to which research informs teaching in the department.

A global perspective on the past: the Institute of Archaeology around the world

A global perspective on the past: the Institute of Archaeology around the world

UCL’s Centre for Applied Archaeology: the end of an era of Erasmus+ partnership projects

This news article summarises several projects that took place between 2010 and 2022, during which some members of the Institute of Archaeology’s professional staff were able to take part in lifelong learning partnerships, working closely with a host of organisations from all over Europe on skills development and community heritage. These projects were funded by the Erasmus+ programme.

THE TRIEU TUONG MAUSOLEUM SITE: RESULTS OF THE 2019 EXCAVATION

Trieu Tuong Mausoleum is the place to worship the ancestors of the Nguyen royal family in their homeland. This is also where Nguyen Kim (Emperor Tinh) was buried. To conserve, embellish, and promote the historical and cultural heritage of the mausoleum, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Thanh Hoa Province coordinated with the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology to conduct a third excavation at the site in 2019. This article presents the research progress, essential documents related to the excavation at the mausoleum site in 2019, and an evaluation of the outstanding value of the relics and artifacts obtained from the mausoleum and contributes to the study and research into the history and culture of the Nguyen Dynasty in Vietnam.

Антропологічний матеріал із городища уличів 10 століття біля с. Сажки на Вінниччині із розкопок П. І. Хавлюка у 1970-1978 рр.

The purpose of the article is to summarize information about the anthropological material from the excavations of P. I. Havlyuk, which was found at the ulychi settlement near the village Sazhki in 1970-1978 and its introduction into scientific circulation. The research methodology is represented by: the principle of historicism, system approach, methods of logic, grouping, comparative-historical, statistical and problem-chronological principle. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the fact that it summarizes information about the found human skeletons belonging to the ulyches who died as a result of an attack on the settlement during the first stage of its existence in the 10th century. Today, only part of the preserved human skeletons from the excavations in Sazhki are available for detailed anthropological research. To write the article, unpublished materials from the personal fund of PI Havlyuk in the Vinnytsya Regional Museum of History and Nature and the State Archive of the Vinnytsia Region were used, namely: field diaries, manuscripts, and epistolary heritage. The scientific reports on excavations stored in the Scientific Archive of the Institute of Archeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Kyiv were also included in the work. Information is provided on the position of the discovered skeletons, their probable signs of death, and personal items found among or near the bones. The skeletons are systematized by age category. For a significant part of the dead, their gender has been determined. Conclusions. It was possible to establish the position of the skeletons of 94 deceased. Among the dead, according to P. I. Havlyuk, there are signs: wounds; tied limbs and burnt. The inventory material was found in 33 deceased persons aged two years and older. The sex of 42 persons was determined, of which 32 were female and 10 were male.

Coins from the City of Ken-Bulun in Kyrgyzstan (from excavations in 2022–2023 and random finds from previous years)

As part of the project of the institute of archaeology named after. A.Kh. Khalikov of the Academy of sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation and the Institute of history, archaeology and ethnology named after. B. Dzhamgerchinova NAS KR, since 2021, research has been carried out at the Ken-Bulun site. Works 2022 and 2023 two excavations -Ex-1 and Ex-2 - yielded stratified collections of artifacts, including coins (34 units), which are the subject of study in this article. The article also examines coins from random finds of previous years, given to the authors by local residents, one previously published coin, and the authors’ collections from the surface of the site during field research. A total of 50 coins of different types are analyzed, of which 49 are stored at the institute of atomic energy of the national academy of sciences of the kyrgyz republic. Most of the coins found are copper-lead dirhams of the karakhanid dynasty. 11th century a small number of earlier issues and the absence of mongolian coins limit the chronological scope of the existence of the settlement 10th – early 13th centuries

ARCHAEOLOGICAL RELICS OF DAK R’LAP DISTRICT, DAK NONG PROVINCE, IN THE REGIONAL PREHISTORIC CONTEXT

This article systematizes the documentation of prehistoric archaeological relics and artifacts from Dak R’lap District, Dak Nong Province. The article also presents the results of investigations, new discoveries, and surveys conducted by the author together with archaeologists from the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology. The author outlines the characteristics, properties, and dates of relics and artifacts; describes the locations, roles, and close relationship of relics and artifacts discovered in Dak R’lap District with the prehistory of Dak Nong in particular and the Central Highlands and Southeast in general. This research provides more data for the construction of prehistoric archaeological maps; facilitates researching, compiling, and educating on local history; and promotes sustainable cultural tourism development in Dak Nong Province in general.

Archaeometry in Serbia: Where we are and where we should go next?

The paper presents a short history of archaeometry investigations in Serbia, from the first published work in 1932 until today. It then describes the most important laboratories and institutions that perform archaeometry investigations in Serbia today, their teams, equipment, projects, and cooperation: Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Serbia, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Faculty of Physical Chemistry, National Museum of Serbia, Institute of Archaeology, the Heritage Lab, Gallery of Matica Srpska Novi Sad, and City Museum of Subotica. The paper describes plans for the future and proposes forming of Serbian Society for Archaeometry with several goals: to further interconnect research disciplines; to facilitate better use and purchase of equipment, to establish a dedicated laboratory for archaeometry; to introduce archaeometry study programs at different levels of teaching; to introduce archaeometry into scientific plans of Serbia; to start a domestic archaeometry journal, and to promote the awareness of the potentials and benefits of archaeometry to institutions dealing with cultural heritage and to the general public.

The Late Bronze Age Somló Hill and a new bronze hoard

In January 2023, the National Institute of Archaeology of the Hungarian National Museum launched a new research programme, the aim of which is to explore Somló Hill (Veszprém County), which has been neglected by systematic field research focusing on the Late Bronze Age (LBA) and Early Iron Age (EIA) inhabitation of the site. In the current phase of the research programme, new, preliminary results have been provided on the settlement history of the site, primarily through a systematic metal detector survey. Based on the discovered metal objects, the south-eastern plateau of Somló Hill was inhabited primarily between the Rei Br C and Ha B2 phases, and life on the settlement was probably continuous during the Hallstatt Culture in EIA. In addition to briefly introducing our preliminary results, one of the four hoards, Hoard II from Somló Hill, is introduced. This assemblage was found by Győző Csaba Budai, a volunteer, on the once-inhabited part of the south-eastern plateau. Owing to his discovery, the in situ hoard was documented in excavation. The hoard consists of a handful of objects belonging to a few people, such as a gouge, six Lovasberény-type bracelets, three bracelets with rolled ends, two lumps, and a pseudo-winged axe. The arrangement and grouping of the objects within the assemblage reflect deliberate selection and deposition. The typo-chronological analysis of the objects from the second hoard of Somló Hill suggests that the assemblage was deposited around the younger LBA phase of the settlement in the Ha B1–Ha B2 phases.

Hallstatt period hoard from Somló Hill

In January 2023, the National Institute of Archaeology of the Hungarian National Museum launched a new research programme, the aim of which has been to explore the Somló Hill (Somló-hegy) (Veszprém County), a site neglected by systematic field research focusing on Late Bronze Age (LBA) and Early Iron Age (EIA) inhabitation. Somló Hill was often considered one of the most important EIA power centres in the western part of the Carpathian Basin. However, this notion was based mainly on funerary evidence partially unearthed from nearby burial mounds. Beyond doubt, these burials are associated with a prominent elite in the Ha C Period that maintained long-ranging contacts with communities in the (north)west and south. By contrast, virtually nothing is known about either the extent of the EIA settlement both in geographical and chronological terms, its inner structure, or the activity of the community associated with it. In this paper, we aim to show some of the first results of the field research conducted in the last months on the hill and to introduce the first documented EIA hoard of Somló Hill. The typo-chronological evaluation of the hoard suggests that it was deposited in the Late Hallstatt Period, i.e. the Ha D2–D3 phases.