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Systematic studies are conducted at Madzhar settlement by the “Kaffa” expedition of the Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Khalikov of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan within the framework of the State Program of the Republic of Tatarstan “Preservation of the National Identity of the Tatar People (2014–2019)”. Madzhar fortified settlement represents the remains of the Golden Horde town of Madzhar located near the contemporary town of Budennovsk in Stavropol Krai. The work is dedicated to the discovery of a bone article at the fortified settlement in question. A carved bone overlay with a dragon image was discovered at the archaeological excavations of 2016. The bone overlay was found during cleaning of the pavement of a medieval town street. A paved street was discovered in a Golden Horde town for the first time in history. The studied area of the pavement consisted of 174 fragments of locally manufactured defective bricks, 115 sandstones and 127 broken brick fragments. The period of operation of the town street and, correspondingly, the time of loss of the bone overlay correspond to the reign of Djanibek Khan, and has been dated on the basis of 12 coins. The carved overlay was made of thick horn. A four-leaved medallion with a rectangular pointed upper edge dimensioned 72×72 mm, which resembles a lotus bud, features a carved image of a dragon. The symbolics of the dragon image was thoroughly studied. Suggestions are made in relation to the possible location of manufacture of such products and the use of similar articles in the territory of the Mongol Empire.

The article presents brief information on the content and findings of the conference “Ananyino World: Cultural Space, Connections, Traditions and Innovations”, which took place in Bolgar on 28-30 November 2016 (Republic of Tatarstan). The Conference was organized by A.Kh. Khalikov Archaeology Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan, Archaeology Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Bolgar State Historical and Architectural Museum-Reserve. Its participants discussed a vast range of topics concerning the late Bronze Age and the early Iron Age of Northern Eurasia. Particularly, they discussed the issues of chronology and cultural genesis, development of traditional metal processing and ceramic production, religious ideas and motifs of fine art. Special attention was traditionally focused on archaeology of the Ananyino cultural-historical area.

The article is dedicated to the 60th Anniversary of the Mari Archaeological Expedition and summarizes the two decades of its studies (1996-2016) into the early cultures of the Mari region, starting from the era of the original settlement (Mesolithic), through the Neolithic-Eneolithic, Bronze Age, Early Iron Age and up to the Middle Ages. The expedition studied stations and settlements of primitive cultures, as well as unfortified and fortified settlements and necropolises. Special studies focused on formation and development of the early Mari culture, as well as the material and spiritual culture of the medieval Mari. The expedition continues its survey exploration in order to identify new archaeological sites. During the reported period, twelve monographs were published and three monographs prepared based on the expedition’s materials.