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The article considers insufficiently studied problem of preservation underwater archaeology paper objects. The author shares good practical experience conservation and restoration of unique artefacts found by archaeologists on the merchant ship « Die Engiel Raphael » (Archangel Raphael) sanked almost 300 years ago. The main attention is focused on an integrated approach and consolidation of the efforts of restorers, underwater archaeologists and divers, researchers to determine the conservation method. In constant close collaboration with specialists from the workshop for graphics, books and documents conservation of the Grabar Art Conservation Center and of the Center for Underwater Research of the Russian Geographical Society has been developed a method for the conservation of four underwater archaeology paper objects. The article presents the results of research and restoration. Various techniques for drying, separating of cemented book-pages and ultrasonic cleaning for removing sandy-clay pieces, deeply embedded from the paper structure, are described. In developing main guidelines emphasized of conservation work for underwater artifacts, highlights the need for a special approach to each object and creation an individual program for restoration activities, taking into account its specifics. In forming the general basic principles of conservation of underwater artefacts, the necessity of a special approach to each object and drawing up an individual program of restoration measures, taking into account its specifics, is noted.

Copyright of Stratum Plus Journal is the property of P.P. Stratum plus and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Stratum Plus Journal is the property of P.P. Stratum plus and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Stratum Plus Journal is the property of P.P. Stratum plus and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the paper, the food of the Tomsk group of the Siberian Tatars of the 17th–18th centuries, settled in the Tomsk Ob River basin (Western Siberia), is analysed. The aim of the research is to determine and characterise ethno-cultural processes in the food of the Siberian Tatars of the 17th–18th centuries and to identify the role of these processes in the increase of the proportion of common phenomena in the material culture of the Tomsk Tatars as a result of their interaction, first of all, with the Russians. The research sources are represented by the materials and information about food complexes and composition of food dishes of the Tomsk Tatars from the works of travellers and scientists of the 17th–18th centuries, as well as by the results of archaeological and ethnographic studies on the economy and material culture of the Siberian Tatars, and materials on ethnography of the Russians of Siberia in the 17th–18th centuries. The method of socio-historical analysis, historical-comparative method, and, in some cases, the method of quantitative analysis have been employed in the paper. The work contains descriptions of the food products consumed by the Tomsk Tatars in the 17th–18th centuries: fish, meat, vegetables, and imported products (salt, spices, cereals and others), as well as the methods of stockpiling and processing of foodstuff, preparing food dishes and consuming them, and also a description of household utensils intended for the food preparation and consumption. In addition to the results of the comprehensive characterisation of the food culture of the Tomsk group of the Siberian Tatars, conclusions have been drawn on the changes in this area of the material culture and on the ethno-cultural processes in the food of the Tomsk Tatars.

The paper represents craniological materials of the Middle Ages. The two skulls with head shaping have been submitted for scientific processing. The male skull with traits of fronto-occipital in combination with circular artificial cranial deformation was found in burial 65-25 of Samukh necropolis XIV–XVII centuries (Samukh district). The skull is hyperdolichocranial, Caucasoid with slight Mongoloid taint. The second artificially deformed skull (139/197) belonged to a female and was found in one of the medieval burials from western districts of republic. The skull is mesocranial, Caucasoid+Mongoloid. The parietal in combination with type of head shaping was marked on this skull. This type of artificial deformation was found in Azerbaijan for the first time. The tradition of artificial head modification in medieval period should be considered as brought from outside. Perhaps this custom, together with its bearers, came here from Central Asia during the existence of the Golden Horde (XIII–XV centuries), or during the military campaigns of Tamerlane (1370–1405) and his descendants. The paper also represents the finds of artificially deformed skulls of synchronous time from the territory of Eurasia (Volga region, Balkan Peninsula, Crimea, Central Asia, Anatolia). Gradually, during the late Middle Ages – modern era, the tradition of modifying the head decreased and disappeared.

The paper presents calculation of the population of the Golden Horde Azak and its district based on the analysis of the results of long-term excavations of the Golden Horde Azak. The most reliable data are available for the period around 1340, when the population of the city was 54 thousand inhabitants. To determine the dynamics of the city's development, calculations are also given for the periods around 1290 and 1395, when the city's population was about 3.0-3.5 and 12.5-13.5 thousand inhabitants. The number of nomads in territories economically gravitating towards Azak can be estimated at 250 thousand people, this number is rather an upper limit. The question of the size of the non-nomadic population of the Azak district remains unclear, since even the approximate number of sedentary settlements is unknown, therefore the estimate of more than 300 thousand inhabitants proposed in the article is speculative. Despite the approximate calculations, such studies are necessary for a proper understanding of the history of the Golden Horde. The data presented in this paper will be updated, but the order of the numbers will most likely not change. Based on data on the population of Azak, we can conclude that during its heyday it was one of the largest cities not only in Eastern Europe, but in Europe as a whole. Based on the data on the size of the city, it allows us to conclude that it acted not only as a center of intermediary transcontinental trade, but also as a trade and craft center of a large region. Research similar to that presented in this article should be carried out in the future for other regions of the Golden Horde.

Copyright of Proceedings in Archeology & History of Ancient & Medieval Black Sea Region is the property of Cimmeria Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The paper touches upon the history of biological anthropology study of the Tagar culture bearers that inhabited the Southern Siberia in the VIII–II centuries BC. The author of the research highlighted the key issues of biological anthropology studies of the Tagar culture: 1) The genesis issues of the Tagar culture (the discussion about the contribution of the Karasuk culture representatives to the formation of the Tagar population anthropological composition); 2) The issue of classifying burials in barrows by timeline, resulting in attribution of individuals from different timelines to a single sampling in anthropological research; 3) The issue of grouping paleoanthropological material due to the constant revision of the chronology of the Tagar culture; 4) The issue of intergroup variability (morphological changes on the bone remains of the Tagar culture population from different timelines). The author extensively examines the key papers by anthropologists of the XX century, dedicated to studying the population of the Tagar culture. The author reviewed the main theories and hypotheses on the genesis issues of the Tagar culture population made by G.F. Debets, V.P. Alekseyev, V.A. Dremov, and A.G. Kozintsev. The current state of anthropological studies of the Tagar culture population is analyzed in the paper.

The purpose of the paper is to thoroughly investigate the intricate relationship between the United States and Azerbaijan from 1991 to 2020, considering diplomatic, political, economic, and security dimensions. Emphasizing the pivotal role of Russian Federation in the South Caucasus, the research seeks to provide a holistic understanding of the factors influencing U.S.-Azerbaijan relations, offering valuable insights into evolving geopolitical dynamics over the three crucial decades. The novelty of the paper lies in its in-depth exploration of three decades of U.S.-Azerbaijan relations, the study provides unique insights into the evolving dynamics, contributing a comprehensive analysis of the multifaceted relationship. Conclusions. The author identifies 4 periods of US-Azerbaijan relations in 1991-2020: 1) 1991-2001, 2) 2001-2007, 3) 2007-2015, and 4) 2015-2020. From 1991 to 2001, the United States underwent a transformative phase in its policy towards Azerbaijan, marked by an increased focus on regional stability and economic partnerships through energy initiatives like the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. Security concerns in the South Caucasus also influenced policy decisions, while considerations of democracy and human rights were weighed against broader strategic imperatives. This period set the foundation for subsequent shifts in U.S. policy towards Azerbaijan. In 2001-2007, U.S. policy towards Azerbaijan underwent significant changes, prioritizing the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and intensifying efforts in combatting international terrorism. The Global War on Terror played a crucial role, leading to strengthened U.S.-Azerbaijan relations, though democracy promotion took a back seat to energy and security interests. The period from 2007 to 2015 saw a nuanced shift, with decreased U.S. focus on energy and security, increased attention to democracy and human rights, and challenges arising from Azerbaijan’s opposition to the Turkish-Armenian Rapprochement. Azerbaijan’s strategic concerns regarding Nagorno-Karabakh intensified, and U.S. engagement faced limitations in influencing regional outcomes. Between 2015 and 2020, U.S. policy towards Azerbaijan further disengaged across energy, security, and democracy promotion dimensions, influenced by factors like the unconventional oil and gas revolution, decreasing Central Asia significance, rising isolationism, and the Trump administration’s priorities. The U.S. response to regional dynamics, notably the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, showcased a trend of reduced involvement.

The purpose of the paper is to highlight the development of information-psychological warfare, its history, concepts, technologies and methods, which are one of the most important areas of work in the field of international relations. The concept of ‘information warfare’ has concentrated a number of phenomena from the sphere of mass communications and during the 20th century was called various terms, such as ‘disinformation’, ‘propaganda’, ‘psychological warfare’, ‘psychological operations’. Within the scope of the study, the importance of psychological warfare in today’s context has been examined using the example of Azerbaijan and Armenia. It has been emphasized how Armenia effectively employed psychological warfare tactics and propaganda to gain an advantageous position in the late 20th century. In the early 21st century, the significance of Azerbaijan gaining a superior position in psychological warfare and using propaganda effectively has been discussed. Additionally, the article delves into the importance of using white propaganda during psychological warfare and the drawbacks of black propaganda within the context of the psychological warfare between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The novelty of the paper lies in a comprehensive analysis of information and psychological warfare and operations in the context of the Azerbaijan-Armenian conflict. Conclusions. In the 20th century information and psychological warfare and operations became part of the military policy of states. Now, due to the current situation on the world stage, the methods and means of conducting information warfare are changing and every year they are reaching a higher level. It can also be stated that in the 21st century, information wars have become more widespread. In summary, the historical context and evolution of information warfare demonstrate its enduring significance as a tool for states to achieve their strategic and political goals. As technology and global politics continue to evolve, information warfare is likely to remain a key component of statecraft and international relations.

Identification of stonepaste pottery manufacturing centers still remains one of the unresolved problems of archaeometry and ceramology. The paper is meant as a presentation of the continued petrographic study of the stonepaste pottery finds from the Golden Horde archaeological sites. It includes the results of examination of 65 petrographic sections. Due to the earlier study, localization of some stonepaste pottery manufacturing sites and even workshops in the Selitrennoye and the Tsarevskoye settlements of the Lower Volga region were substantiated. This paper presents some stonepaste architectural decorations of local production from Ukek in the Lower Volga region. A collection of the thin sections from the waste and from the stonepaste pottery vessels from the Selitrennoye workshops was compared to some imported stonepaste articles. The imported items comprised the early materials dated back to the end of the 13th century, i.e. prior to the beginning of this material production in the Golden Horde, and the underglaze-painted items with lustre, that most probably were not made in the Golden Horde. Distinct differences in the manufactured product compositions have been specified. The imported articles contain fragmental quartz, while the local products from the Selitrennoye settlement are made up of roundish, rolled quartz, amalgamated with clay and subsequently crushed (supposedly fireclay). Examination of the thin sections from the stonepaste architectural decor made in Ukek has made it possible to establish practically complete compositional similarity of the items from the Selitrennoye settlement. This allows us to suggest that there is a common technology for stonepaste pottery manufacturing in the Golden Horde towns located in the Lower Volga region and that it differs from that of the imported articles. Study of the thin section also reveals certain technological inferences. Particularly, the colour of the item is proved to depend on burning temperature and not on the admixture composition.

The paper publishes materials of the new Mesolithic sites in the Lower Volga region. The research relevance is due to the fact that this period is less studied than the others. The scientific novelty of the study is as follows: after a 30-year break in the Mesolithic studies of this territory, the materials of the 2021 study are presented. The purpose of the paper is to introduce the latest sources on such an important period into scientific circulation. The objectives of the study are to describe and classify the materials, to define the cultural affiliation and to establish their periodization. Methods. The sites of this era in this territory have not been studied since 1993. The sources for the paper are the materials of three new Mesolithic monuments. The Ukubai tract is located in the Krasnoyarsk district of the Astrakhan region. On the territory of the dune, three clusters of stone artifacts remote from each other were planigraphically identified. Neolithic and Eneolithic ceramics were missing. Planographic, typological, statistical and radiocarbon methods were applied. Analysis. The raw material for the tools manufacture was flint of a dark transparent, gray matte and yellow types. The lamellar flake flint-splitting technique was inherent for all three sites. Monuments differ in the number of finds, production waste and blanks, parameters of flakes, a set of tools, and geometric microliths types. Results. Raw material properties are characteristic of the Mesolithic complexes. The average stone age of the finds is also evidenced by the technical and typological features of the stone inventory. The obtained materials can be attributed to the Seroglazovka culture. Some of them belong to the Zhekolgan group and others to the Istay group. The features of the parameters gave an opportunity to pinpoint that the complexes belong to different times. Thus it was possible to highlight the monuments functional features.

For the first time in Russian odontology, this paper presents the results of the analysis of intra-observer and inter-observer discrepancies in the determination of non-metric dental traits. The basis for the work was the materials collected in 2022 in the western regions of the Republic of Tuva during the Tuva ethnographic and anthropological expedition of TuvSU-CPI under the direction of E.V. Ayizhy (Candidate of Historical Sciences, TuvSU). The aim of the expedition was comprehensive biological and anthropological investigation of the local population. The programme included collecting the data on somatometry, cephalometry, cephaloscopy, odontology, dermatoglyphics, panoptic anthropological portrait photography, and social survey. Due to the fact that two experts in odontology worked in the expedition, it was possible to conduct a comparative analysis of their independent determinations. An important factor appeared to be that in the Tuva expedition, for the first time in the practice of mass population-anthropological investigations, an intraoral 3D scanner was employed, which provided a rare opportunity to test the field determinations made by the researcher. This paper is concerned with the results of intra- and inter-observer correlations in the determination of non-metric dental traits by different recording techniques. Following the programme adopted in Russian odontology, during the expedition, there were 504 people examined and 331 wax impressions of teeth obtained. The complete programme of the odontological examination included visual inspection and description of the traits with the aid of a dental mirror. Using the intraoral 3D scanner Medit I500, in total 202 scans were obtained. The analysis consisted of several levels of intra- and inter-observer correlations and included three stages of connexive experiments aimed at the assessment of the nonmetric dental traits observed in the expedition and on the 3D models. The study is based upon the use of the empirical and statistical methods. At all stages of the analysis, there were no intra- and inter-observer discrepancies recorded in the assessment of the diastema, crowding, and reduction of lateral incisors. The most difficult feature for recording appeared to be the prominence of the shovelling of upper incisors. In its assessment, statistically significant differences were revealed during the intraobserver correlations. The results of the observation of the odontological traits obtained by different recording techniques, showed some systematic deviations at the individual researcher level, manifested in an overestimation of frequencies of the shovelling when determining by scans and underestimation of frequencies of the shovelling determined with the aid of the dental mirror.

This paper reports on a previously unpublished document — a survey of the traditional subsistence activities of the population of the Lower Irtysh River basin and the adjacent part of the Ob River (Denshchikov Commissariat of the Tobolsk Governorate, Russia), prepared in 1805 by a local official, D.S. Kochetovsky. The survey contains detailed information on fishing, hunting, and gathering practices of the Russian and Ugric populations, and it was intended for the preparation of the Governor's report to the Minister of Internal Affairs. The study is aimed at assessing the information potential of the historical source and determination of the socio-political context of its production. In the paper, a historical-ethnographic analysis of the document has been carried out against other sources of the 18th–19th centuries, and its main text with annotations is published. The document attests to a high level of competence of the government official in the subsistence economy of the region accountable to him, although that was not fully detailed knowledge. It is not replete with unique data, but at the same time confirms the deep historical tradition and conservatism of the local subsistence economy in which the ethnically mixed population was occupied. Unlike most of the published sources of the second half of the 18th c., the survey describes the economy of the clearly defined area of Northwestern Siberia, notably, as a whole complex, with the seasonal distribution of activities. Particularly valuable is the information characterising the flexibility of the economic structure, depending on the annual specifics of the fluctuation of natural resources. The authors of the paper concluded that the document under study constitutes one of the early experiences of compiling a survey of the economy at a lower managerial level, marking the formation of a new model of interaction between state institutions and local communities. The model was based upon the collecting of statistical and factual data on all Russian regions, which towards the middle of the 19th c. adopted by then a regular and formalised order.

The purpose of the research paper is treat of the forced displacement of Albanians from Kosovo to Albania in the years 1918-1941 by the Serbian government through various programs. Serbian programs for the expulsion of Albanians, initiated since the ‘Načertanije’ (‘Draft Plan’) of 1844, did not cease throughout the entire 20th century. Between the two World Wars, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes – Yugoslavia drew up a large number of programs against the Albanians, where the key point was the displacement of Albanians from their lands and the reversal of the demographic structure to the detriment of the Albanians people, applying various methods and measures of violence. The scientific novelty. Until the 1930s, Serbian circles assessed that these measures had not yielded the desired effects, thus it was necessary to continue with several programs and strategies that would lead to a large-scale ethnic cleansing of Albanians by expelling them from their lands or assimilating them. This paper deals with all the Serbian programs and plans which were applied by means of three main actions such as forced displacement, colonization and agrarian reform. Conclusions. Based on what we have discussed, there is no doubt that the policy of Serbian government’s violence against Albanians materialized through these infamous programs. The Serbian authorities had primary intentions of ethnic cleansing and changing the ethnic structure in the regions where Albanians predominated. The expulsion of Albanians occurred according to these programs, as the Serbian government had institutionalized and utilized these various programs to achieve its goals. During this period, Albanians faced all the measures of violence from the state apparatus in Belgrade, their lives deteriorated day by day in all spheres of life, and as a result, an extremely large number of them were forced to be displaced and leave their homelands. The policy of Greater Serbia ideology did not cease, not only in this period but throughout the entire 20th century.

In this paper, twelve marble “medallion” capitals of the Holy Land are collected together, stylistically analyzed, and dated for the first time. For a better understanding of their geographical distribution, the places of recovery were marked on the map. In the recent article of C. Barsanti (2017), only 40 capitals of this type were collected throughout the whole Mediterranean region, so the number of local artifacts is rather considerable. None of the local capitals was revealed in situ but only in secondary use in the Early Islamic context or scattered at the sites. In all cases, Early-Byzantine churches dated to the 5th — 6th centuries CE were located in close vicinity. The paper consistently provides them as apparent sources from which the capitals might be hypothetically generated. Stylistic analysis showed the process of order alteration: the recognizable morphological basis of the type was followed (though not strictly) in all specimens. At the same time, ancillary details might vary considerably from one capital to the other. This process implies gradual order decline moves from more complete and detailed to more laconic variations of the “medallion” type.

Vezirköprü, the district of Samsun, is an area of a continuous sedentism for millennia, from the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age until the present, due to its location at an important crossroads, with wide plains and numerous streams all around, and a landscape suitable for settled life. Being a village named Phazemon, in Strabo’s words, the site gained the identity of a city with the Roman domination in the region and took the name Neoklaudiopolis (Neapolis). The city has witnessed many wars and showed that it had an important strategic position. Mithridates VI Eupator, King of Pontus, was the biggest enemy of Roman domination in Anatolia back then. In Pontus’s coastal parts, castles have already been known, while those in the inner parts of the region have not been adequately researched. Büyükkale and Küçükkale, which are the scope of the paper, are among the latter. Both castles display many things of traditional Mithridatic fortification, with castle walls, rock tunnels, stairs, and tombs. The one in Büyükkale is identified with Sagylion of old written accounts. The castles under study have not yet been published elsewhere, and the paper is expected to contribute to the illumination of the construction activity of the Pontic Kingdom and the Hellenistic Period in Vezirköprü.

This paper deals with the results of the analysis of the archaeozoological collection from the Ufa-II hillffort, a standard monument of the Early Middle Ages in the Southern Ural region. Among the sites of the Ufa-Belaya interfluve the mentioned hillfort is the most fully studied archaeological site. The paper puts new data on archaeozoological materials from one of the local sectors of the hillfort into scientific discourse. The characteristic feature of this area is a powerful anthropogenic impact, which resulted in the destruction/mixing of sterile layers of the Middle Ages and Modern era. In connection with this circumstance, the results of the studies cannot be fully compared with previous work. Further publication of archaeozoological collections will allow us to detail the economic activity of the population at different chronological stages of the site's existence.

The paper is concerned with the history of the resettlement of Germans to the Turkestan Governorate-General in the last third of the 19th — beginning of the 20th c. This territory was actively developing after the accession to the Russian Empire. This process was joined also by German settlers from the Ekaterinoslav, Taurida, Samara, and Saratov governorates. Some of them sought to acquire land, as they suffered from the land scarcity or even its total lack in the ‘mother colonies’. Others wanted to obtain easement in the military service for religious reasons. The aim of the research is the analysis of the economic activity of the Germans and their adaptation to the new natural-climatic and agricultural conditions. The paper is based on various sources: publications of the 19th — early 20th century, reports of the officials, and archival materials. Methodologically, the authors draw upon the theory of modernisation and consider the resettlement process through the prism of the Central Asian model of frontier modernisation at the turn of the 19th — 20th century. This enabled us to reconsider the topic, which is partially covered in Russian and foreign historiography. It has been found that there were two waves of resettlement to the Central Asian region. The first one is related to the acquisition by the German colonists of the status of resettlers-proprietors in 1871 and to the military reform conducted in 1874. The second reason is related to the famine that affected the European part of the country. The Germans could get land plots in this region in several ways: from the authorities, or by buying or taking them on lease from the local population. The Germans managed the land reserves at their own discretion, distributing them for domestic purposes amongst the members of the settlements or keeping them for the community. First years were difficult for the Germans because of the lack of funding and knowledge of farming conditions. However, following the financial assistance from the authorities and familiarisation with the area, they managed to decide on the management model. Cereal crops and potatoes were grown on the land suitable for agriculture. In other areas, they started breeding improved livestock of cows and horses. Agricultural products and animals were in high demand at the local markets. Moreover, the local population adopted many agricultural improvements from the Germans. The economic and natural-geographical surveys of this region conducted by the authorities demonstrated that the German settlers by the beginning of the 20th century managed to set up prosperous farming units. Their products won numerous awards at agricultural exhibitions.

This paper presents the evolution of the Pamir house over the past 100 years since the explorations of the Russian ethnographer Mikhail S. Andreev took place. Despite the availability of the studies of the 1920s–1950s on the Tajik traditional dwelling (Pisarchik, 1958a; Voronina, 1951, 1975; review studies: Mamadnazarov, 1978; Muradov, 2021), the classical Andreev’s work (1958), conducted in the valley of the Khuf River (Pamir), remains topical. The Gorno-Badakhshan variant of the house construction (Pamir and Pamir region), distinguished on the basis of its ingenuity, stands apart amongst the other four geographical types. The paper concerns the comparison of the main elements of the contemporary dwelling of the population of the Western Pamir with the traditional ones. A special attention is given to the calendar and astronomical matters that relate the design of the Pamiri house to timekeeping. Our research is based upon the results of the study of 26 residential houses in the village of Midensharv (located 20 km southeast of Khorog in Roshtkala District of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Okrug) and several buildings in the villages of Parzudzh, Barodzh, and Tusen. Most of the houses were built in the 1960s–1980s. Modern Pamiris know the places in the house where the sunbeam falls on one or another special day, but in modern buildings there are no marks for the days of Nowruz, and summer and winter chillas, which were reported by Andreev. The methods of mathematical modeling show that in some cases the informants are accurate with the dates, but sometimes they confuse the holidays. Over the last hundred years, the Pamir house has undergone certain changes associated with the natural development. The changes of the traditional society, the beginning of which was noted by M. Andreev, have led to the widespread use of the Gregorian calendar, whilst the functions of individual timekeeping have lost their value. Nowadays, amongst local residents few people would remember the timekeeping by the human body ‘mard’, whilst the modern Pamir house has not preserved the marks of certain days of the year that were present earlier. Nevertheless, it can be argued that the Pamir inhabitants have retained quite a lot of knowledge and traditions. Although there are already no signs in the modern Pamir house, people continue to navigate in time using sunlight marks, which give an accuracy of about 20 minutes, which is enough for a rural lifestyle. All new houses are built according to the Pamir canon, and not by the projects of modern designers.

The present paper contributes to the study of ‘infrastructural failures’ as one of the rapidly developing in recent times areas of the anthropology of infrastructure. In the focus of the research is a ‘failure’ of the satellite telephone communications in Russian Arctic, which occurred as a result of the decision of one of the providers, Globalstar inc., to withdraw from the Russian market in March 2022. This provider was particularly popular amongst the groups of the native population of Russian Arctic due to low prices for the service and equipment. In the paper, the ethnographic data collected during a fieldwork amongst reindeer herding nomads of Nadym District of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia, are used, on the basis of which the study is carried out on how the tundra nomads were adapting to the failure and overcoming its consequences. The paper starts with a short historical review of the development of long-range communications in tundra and the social norms, strategies, and behavioural patterns formed at different times amongst the reindeer herders in respect to these communications. This review, the materials for which comprised published literature and fieldwork records of the author collected in the late 1990s — early 2000s, demonstrates that up until the arrival of mobile and satellite telephones in tundra during the second decade of the 21st century, radiocommunications of the reindeer herders were, firstly, public and, secondly, relied in messaging on the social networks and mutual obligations of the nomadic groups with regard to transferring information. The review is followed by the description and analysis of the field data collected by the author during the fieldwork in August 2022. It is shown that the loss of the satellite connectivity in the spring of that year disturbed the reindeer herders very much and even caused a change in the movement routes of some of their groups. However, the herders soon managed to adapt to the new conditions. For that, the mobile phones, which were working on a part of the migration territory of the herders, were employed, as well as, importantly, there were restored the social networks and obligations with respect to the information transfer that allowed reliable and relatively fast communications with the locations where the mobile connectivity was lacking. As the result, the communications once again became public, but the serious problems, which might have been caused by the interruption of the satellite connectivity, were able to be avoided. Meanwhile, the acute feeling of uncertainty that the herders were experiencing after the failure of the satellite connectivity, shows that the role of the long-range radiocommunications in their lives has increased significantly over the last two decades. The results of the study are also discussed in the context of the recent hypothesis on the “societies of the failure normality”.

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The purpose of the research paper is to focus attention on the role of the ‘second plan’ historians in scientific research of the history of Ukraine; to evaluate and study comprehensively the contribution of H.Yu. Khraban to the archaeological study of Uman region territory; to carry out a detailed analysis of the archaeological part of the scholar’s scientific heritage; to find out the results of his archaeological studies, and to show the importance of the archaeological study of the regions for the reconstruction of the genuine history of Ukraine. Scientific novelty: The contribution of H. Khraban to the study of various archaeological cultures sites in the western part of Cherkasy and neighboring oblasts is analyzed based on the fundamental source base, and after finding as well as introduction into scientific circulation of a significant array of new archival sources. The paper significantly augments a list of scholar’s works, many of which are unpublished and remain relevant to this day. Conclusions. The activity of H. Khraban devoted to the archaeological study of the territory of Uman region, Eastern Podillia, and the popularization of the ancient history of Ukraine is analyzed. The contribution of the historian to the addition of previously unknown pages from the history of the expansion of different archaeological cultures tribes into Uman region territory, his assistance in the organization of Uman Museum of Local Lore research activities, and the involvement of the public in the archaeological study of the region are shown. H.Yu. Khraban himself participated in archaeological field research in Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Vinnytsia, and Zhytomyr oblasts. Hryhorii Khraban maintained systematic ties with the Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR and spoke at meetings of the Department of Archeology Early Slavs with important reports on the results of his studies. Scientific notes and collected material objects were systematically given by the scholar to the scientific funds of the Institute of Archaeology. According to the time of their dating, H. Khraban attributed the archaeological sites discovered in the territory of Uman region to the Paleolithic period, Trypillia culture, Bronze Age, Bilohrudivska culture, Scythian period, Zarubyntsi and Cherniakhiv cultures, and the sites of the early Slavs. H. Khraban’s merit as an archaeologist lies in the fact that he helped to study the continuity in the settling of Uman region territory since ancient times.

The paper presents for the first time the materials of 4 burials from the Sintashta culture necropolis in the Orenburg Cis-Urals, where the Seima-Turbino inventory was found. The studied burials of the burial ground nearby Beryozovaya Gora were carried out according to the Seima-Turbino rite. Two of them are characterized by merging of cultural traditions. Appearance of bearers of the Seima-Turbino trasncultural phenomenon in the Orenburg Cis-Urals can be confidently associated with the migration impulse from the Western Siberia. This is evidenced by archaeological, anthropological data and the results of the analysis of light isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N). Representatives of the Sintashta culture and bearers of the Seima-Turbino phenomenon were buried on the same burial site with the burial rite characteristics of both groups, so in this case we can talk about their peaceful coexistence. It is possible that the bearers of the Seima-Turbino phenomenon have incorporated into the Sintashta community and have kept their social status. The period of intercultural contacts, according to the radiocarbon dating of the materials from the site under discussion, falls on the XX–XVIII centuries BC. The paper also introduces for the scientific use the unpublished AMS dates of the Sintashta complexes from the Orenburg Cis-Urals.

The paper examines the relationship between the consul Lucius Cornelius Sulla and the Roman plebs in 88 B.C. The first part of the paper considers the role of the popular assemblies in the political struggle around the bills of the plebeian tribune Publius Sulpicius. The authors take the view that the violent clashes between supporters and opponents of Sulpicius’ proposals were inspired by Sulla and his consular colleague Quintus Pompeius Rufus who thereby sought to disrupt the vote in the comitia. The riots in the streets were used by the consuls as a pretext for introducing non-attendance days (iustitium). In the second part of the paper the reform concerning the legislative powers of the comitia is discussed which was allegedly carried out by Sulla in 88 B.C. The authors come to the conclusion that in reality this reform never took place.

The purpose of the research paper is to study the contribution of Lebedyn St. Nikolas Convent of Kyiv Eparchy to the development of woman’s education in Ukraine in the second half of the 19th – the beginning of the 20th century and the peculiarities of the establishment and organization of the woman’s professional school at it. Scientific novelty. The contribution of Lebedyn St. Nikolas Convent and its reverend mothers to the development of education at the regional level is analyzed in the paper. The history of Lebedyn Women’s Professional School establishment is highlighted, and the stages of its activity and the level of material support from the convent are characterized. Attention is paid to the peculiarities of the educational process organization, as well as the staff composition and the formation of the female pupils’ contingent of the school. Conclusions. Four stages can be distinguished in the history of Lebedyn Women’s Professional School: 1859-1872 – establishment and development of a four-grade school; 1872-1886 – activities of a sixth-grade school; 1888-1890 – establishment of a two-grade women’s school; 1890-1918 – a two-grade, four-year women’s theological (professional) school. The history of the school shows that it was a fully formed educational institution with a distinctive management system, proper staffing, and teaching and educational process. The school aimed to give children a practically useful education. Learners mastered crafts, the basics of art, and various labor specialties that could have been useful in their future life. The process and methods of teaching were interconnected with spiritual and religious education. It is uncovered that the deterioration of the school’s financial situation and the lack of support from the state for such educational institutions made the convent leadership close the sixth-grade women’s school in 1886. In 1888, a two-grade women’s school of the type of two-grade parochial schools with a four-year term of study was established on its base. Since 1890, a two-grade, four-year women’s spiritual (professional) school had been functioning at the convent, the educational process of which ensured learners mastered the program of four-grade of the women’s eparchy school and various types of women’s needlework. Lebedyn St. Nikolas Second-Class Convent played an important role in supporting women’s education development on the territory of Kyiv Eparchy in the second half of the 19th – the beginning of the 20th century, and the school established by it made opportunities for orphans and children of the poor strata of society from the neighboring povits to get the education and begin professional training.

The purpose of the research paper is to highlight the development, changes, and results that occurred in Venezuela’s regional integration during President Nicolas Maduro’s first term of office (2013-2018). The novelty of the research paper is in a comprehensive analysis of Venezuela’s regional policy within the framework of the leading integration associations ALBA, CELAC, and UNASUR, which, according to Hugo Chavez’s plan, were supposed to turn the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela into a regional leader in Latin America. Instead, N. Maduro was unable to take advantage of his predecessor’s foreign policy successes and lost the opportunities he had planned. Conclusions. Taking into consideration the theoretical and ideological foundations of Venezuela’s foreign policy, the conclusion can be made that the regional vector of foreign policy has remained one of the focal points for President Nicolas Maduro. Thanks to its resources and ideological dominance, the country could rightfully claim regional leadership, as it united the countries of the region on the wave of anti-Americanism, initiated many integration movements, and made most countries in the region dependent on its energy supplies and credits. ‘Pockets of resistance’ to US expansion in Latin America and regional integration were concentrated in three organizations where Venezuela was one of the founders or key players: ALBA, CELAC, and UNASUR. The economic and political crisis that hit Venezuela sharply raised the question of the continuity of the ‘Bolivarian Project’, which affected the change in the state’s priorities, including in the international arena. N. Maduro had to focus on the country’s internal problems. In the regional integration policy of Venezuela during N. Maduro’s first term of office, we can distinguish two qualitative periods: 1. 2013-2015, the time of relatively successful implementation of the regional integration course, and, 2. 2016-2018, the decline and actual collapse of the regional vector of Venezuela’s foreign policy. It was just the loss of democratic tendencies in Maduro’s domestic policy that led to the loss of regional leadership and global stature. The three integration projects analyzed by the authors started losing their credibility and effectiveness during 2013-2018, which happened mostly due to the crisis in Venezuela. CELAC and UNASUR de facto ceased their activities, and ALBA remained the only instrument of N. Maduro’s regional influence.

The purpose of the research paper. This paper is an attempt to present the historical education at the Basilian school in Uman (the programmes, methods, didactic aids, qualifications, and professional skills of teachers and caretakers) and the mechanisms which shaped the cultural memory of its alumni (in-school and after-school activities) Scientific novelty. By engaging in mnemohistorical reflection, we wish to show the cultural components which may have impacted the construction of the cultural memory of Uman alumni. We will be interested in the science and didactics of history, as well as in answering the question how the Basilian “now” of the 19th century was affected by the past, and how that past was constantly being reinvented, remodelled, rediscovered, and reconstructed by the tutors and their pupils. Conclusions. The aim of the Basilian pedagogy was to raise a citizen able to function in the multi-ethnic and multi-denominational Commonwealth. Indubitably, the so-called idea of unity was a fundamental component of Basilians’ thinking-acting. The pupils were, therefore, raised in the sense of a national as well as Catholic, two-rite community (obviously keeping their own, Ruthenian and Uniate distinctness). The bloody events of 1768 in Uman were an important part of imparted knowledge. The teachers created a particular educational trail tracing the pogrom (the monastery, the well, the church, Sofiyivka). This trail formed a complete iconosphere, where each “site of memory” evoked visual experiences and triggered a whole system of associations, agitations, and emotions. Its existence is attested by descriptions found in the accounts and memoirs of former students. The school also employed secular people, filled with new ideas, not always compliant with the Basilian charism. They instilled in young people “secular” ideas and values, such as the adoration for the Emperor of the French and all movements which could tear down the rules established after the Congress of Vienna: restauration, legitimism, and the balance of power.

The paper deals with a gold human figure, carrying a ram on its shoulders, kept at the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan (Fig. 1-2). This statue, a rare, small example of plastic art, was taken from a destroyed grave in the south-east of Azerbaijan, in the territory of Lerik district, and was handed over to the Museum of History in 2012. Although the analogies of the statue, distinguished by its uniqueness, have not been found in the South Caucasus up to date, there is no doubt that such figures existed in the ancient art history of the Near and Central East. Also similar images depicted on numerous metal and pottery items, especially demonstrate prototypes of Mannaean, Assyrian and Urartian art of the 9th – 8th century BC. At the same time, this statue with the image of a man carrying a ram on his shoulders can be considered as a traditional continuation of the ritual rite of “sacrificial ram” in the South Caucasus. Because, the discovery of a great number of ram figures in the territory of Azerbaijan in the ancient Eneolithic-Early Bronze Age settlements (Исмаилзаде, 2008, с. 106) and even the use of tombstones with ram images in burial customs in the later antique, early and advanced Middle Ages (Kərimov, 2006, s. 79–81) should be considered as solid facts proving that “sheep-rams” were a sacred symbol in the district for thousands of years. The main goal of the paper is to comprehensively involve this rare find in scientific research and conduct analogies to determine its period.

The paper is concerned with the results of the study of a hoard of bronze sickles discovered in 1970 in Baimaksky District of Bashkortostan. Originally, it comprised 13 items, but as of today three of them have got lost, and the collection numbers to only 10 sickles reposited in the National Museum of the Republic of Bashkortostan. It stands out that the items are lacking clear traces of use. Over the past 50 years, materials of the complex have not received sufficient coverage in the scientific literature, despite the rarity of this category of finds for the South Urals region in general, and for the territory of Bashkortostan in particular. This paper constitutes the first publication which combines and refines information about the hoard available in the scientific literature; it also provides a description of each item with updated and further detailed data on their parameters (length, width, thickness, bending height, etc.). In addition, the paper introduces in the scientific discourse photographic images of the bronze objects of the complex, which have been absent until now, instead of rather schematic drawings. Revisiting the materials of the hoard allowed it to observe that the data which was available in the literature had some inaccuracies, associated primarily with the parameters of the objects, the study of which helped clarify and extend the information on the description of the sickles remaining to date. The analysis of the material shows that the considered set of reaping tools has some analogies originating from the Bronze Age sites of the Trans-Urals, both from similar hoards and from settlements, cultural identity of which is determined quite clearly and is attributed by researchers to the Alakul antiquities. For this reason, the origins of the Abzakovo hoard are also associated with the representatives of traditions of the Alakul archaeological culture.

The paper is dedicated to Andrey Viktorovich Anokhin, a renowned scholar of shamanism of the Turkic peoples of Siberia. The paper precedes publication of A.V. Anokhin's letter to ethnographer Lev Yakovlevich Sternberg discovered in the St. Petersburg Branch of the Archive of RAS. The main subject of the letter is female characters-deities in Altai shamanism, with whom Kam enters into an intimate relationship. Anokhin elaborates on this subject using examples primarily from Teleut shamanism, and only briefly mentions shamanic practices of the Shorians, Kumandins, and other peoples of Southern Siberia. Anokhin's material is supplemented by information from his unpublished “Report on Teleut Shamanism” (1912) and his article “The Soul and Its Properties in the Perception of the Teleuts” (1929). In particular, information is given about female deities residing in the fourth celestial sphere (kat); Enem-Jajuchy — the Mother of the Creator; daughters of Eligeni, dwelling on the fourteenth celestial sphere (kat); and about female ancestors worshipped by the Teleuts. The letter of Anokhin was written during a school expedition led by him in the Teleut village of Cherga in the Altai Mountains. In the letter itself, Anokhin gave details of the female characters inhabiting the third, fourth, seventh, and fourteenth celestial spheres (kat). It is noted that in the beginning of the research work initiated by G.N. Potanin, Anokhin started recording Turkic and Mongolian folklore in Southern Siberia and Mongolia, but the Russian Committee for the Study of Central and Eastern Asia of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, which funded the expedition, was interested in the study of shamanistic cult. For this reason, shamanism of the Turkic peoples of the Altai, including the Teleuts, became the main direction of Anokhin's research. The letter by Anokhin is a fragment of the correspondence between the two scientists, partly already published, that started in connection with publication of Anokhin's main work “Materials on Shamanism of the Altaians” (1924). The letter by Anokhin coincides with the publication of the book and represents the answer to a question of L.Y. Sternberg probably posed during the preparation of this publication.

The paper deals with the materials of one of the settlements of the Golden Horde epoch – the III Komintern settlement, located in the Spassky district of the Republic of Tatarstan. The settlement occupies the edge of the above-meadow terrace of the Aktay River. Together with the II Komintern settlement it was a large rural center associated with handicrafts and trade. Unfortunately, a large part of the settlement was destroyed by waters of the Kuibyshev reservoir and all artefacts collected in the 1960s – early 2000s and published in this paper were found on eroded cultural layer. As the analysis of the material has shown, the III Komintern settlement was a craft part of this settlement and a pier where goods were unloaded. The peculiarity of its material culture is in a large number of fragments of cast-iron cauldrons. They are represented by standard forms (types Ч-3 m Ч-4), as well as a rare type – Ч-9, with three legs, having analogies in Chinese and Far Eastern materials of the 12th – 14th centuries. Pottery is represented by fragments of jugs, pots, bowls. Hand-made and corrected on a wheel pottery (bowls, pots, etc.) contains additives to clay: sand, crushed stone and dry clay. There is a group of so-called "Slavonic type" ceramics, typical for the sites of the second half of the 14th century. In other respects, the finds are characteristic of settlements that existed during the late 13th – early 15th centuries. The Komintern archaeological complex is interesting because it demonstrates the dynamics of the development of flood-plain settlements on the Lower Kama and their material culture throughout the Golden Horde period. It evolved from the Peschany Ostrov type settlement that appeared at the end of 13th – beginning of the 15th century to a trade and craft settlement during the middle – second half of the 14th – beginning of the 15th century.

The purpose of the paper is to identify high-potential organizational forms and developmental prospects of archaeological tourism in the Russian Federation. Despite the obvious importance of archaeological tourism for cultural and educational touristic activities, it is still underdeveloped in Russia. The reason might be a vague doctrinal understanding of archaeological tourism features. Educational and protective essence of archeological tourism in the field of cultural heritage preservation seems to be underestimated. Furthermore, low involvement of the State in the development and promotion of archaeological heritage can be observed. Several forms of archaeological tourism development can be currently distinguished in the global tourist market, including Education and Research based Archaeological Tourism mainly non-profit oriented and Culture and Recreation based Archaeological Tourism commercial in its nature. The authors of the paper consider complex archaeological cultural sites in the form of Archaeological Parks to be one of the most effective forms of archaeological tourism development. Open Archaeological Funds are another high-potential organizational form aiming at preserving and promoting Russian cultural heritage. Government regulation and conceptualization of the archaeological tourism development are also required in order to specify means of archaeological tourism stimulation demand and mechanisms for facilitating interaction between subjects and removing existing obstacles.

The communal sacrifice myr (‘all people’, ‘people gathering’) of the Eastern Khanty living in the basins of the Bolshoy Yugan, Agan, Trom’egan, Pim, Lyamin, and Demyanka Rivers (the territory of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug and the north of Tyumen Oblast) is studied. The work is based on the field materials of the author collected in 2002–2017, as well as on other investigations and previously published sources. The aim of the paper is the study of the role of the communal sacrifice in the worldview and ritual space of the Eastern Khanty. The methodological basis of the research stems from the theoretical developments of ritual by V. Turner (1983) and gift-exchange by M. Mauss (2011). The concept of “principal ritual” by A.K. Baiburin (1993) has been used in this work. The communal sacrifice myr is the most attended by the number of participants and longest by time ritual of the Eastern Khanty. Within the myr, the most extensive interaction between the world of humans and the world of deities of the Eastern Khanty happens. The structure of the myr includes sacrificial rituals devoted to the deities of the whole pantheon of the Easten Khanty, as well as shamanistic rituals and traditional fortunetelling. During the myr, decisions are taken with regard to the most important problems of the community life, whose implementation requires not only human effort but also ‘divine support’. In this paper, the modern boundaries and frequency of conducting the communal sacrifice among the Eastern Khanty are identified. The social and sex-age composition of the participants in the ritual are characterized. The origins and reasons of the ritual performance are considered. In its symbolic aspect, the myr performs the functions of reloading the interrelations between the world of humans and the world of deities in the time of a crisis. Such reloading, alongside sacrifices and gifts to the gods, includes invoking the theme of the primordial genesis of the Khanty’s cosmos — a traditional ceremony of setting fire to the ritual pyre by rubbing. In the course of the research, it has been found that the communal sacrifice corresponds with the concept of gift-exchange of M. Mauss, contains the features of reciprocation, and plays the role of a principal ritual of the Eastern Khanty culture.

The paper concerns the determination of the functional purpose of scraper-shaped pottery tools of the fortified settlement of Marai 4 of the initial period of the Early Bronze Age. The site is located in the territory of the Lower Ishim River basin in Kazan District of Tyumen Oblast. Its materials are dated to the 6th (7th) — end of the 5th centuries BCE; culture-wise, they belong to the circle of the Zhuravlevo antiquities. The collection of the pottery scrapers of the site amounts to 78 items. Initially, the majority of them were interpreted as scrapers for fleshing. However, a series of features gave rise to doubts, and the problem of the functional purpose of the scraper-like implements from Maray 4 remained open. In order to elaborate and correct the conclusions, in 2019–2022 the author conducted experiments on the use of pottery shards in the process of skin treatment, wood scraping, abrasive treatment of copper and bronze, in pottery making — at the stage of smoothing, compacting and sleeking the walls of pottery containers. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the experimental use-wear study of the scraper-like pottery artefacts from the Early Iron Age sites of Maray 4. The investigation is based upon the use of the experimental use-wear method, which involves the study of the traces of wear on the surface of implements, and their functional attribution. The use-wear analysis and microphotography of the traces of wear were carried out with the aid of a pancratic microscope MC-2 Z00M with a magnification from 10× to 40×with a Canon EOS-1100 camera. The performed studies allowed refining the previously conjectured hypothesis on the functional purpose of the scraper-shaped tools from Maray 4 and reaching the conclusion that most of them were used for smoothing and compacting the surface of pottery vessels. This conclusion is supported by the preliminary view of V.V. Ilyushina based upon the comparison of available reference experimental samples of surface treatment of clay vessels with pottery tools with the vessels from the site.

In one of the barrows examined in 2007 at the site of Choburak-II (the territory of the Northern Altai), an intrusive, and not quite ordinary, a collective burial of people was found. Accompanying burials of two horses were also recorded there and a variety of artefacts was found (a fragment of a stone grain grinder, elements of horse harness, miniature knives made of non-ferrous metal, a dagger, a chisel, a quiver hook, fragments of gold foil from clothing decoration and other items). The recovered materials made it possible to attribute the excavated burial site to the Pazyryk Culture and to carry out its dating, including the radiocarbon method. In this publication, a special attention is given to the pottery finds. Two vessels appeared to be severely damaged, and to determine their parameters it was necessary to use the bespoke technique of computer-aided restoration based on photogrammetry and aimed at obtaining the most probable shape of these ancient containers. In this respect, an algorithm, being tested by the authors, of modern demonstration in publications of the category of products in question was implemented. Based on the reconstructions performed in the paper, the restored dimensions of the pottery vessels are given, as well as their closest analogies. The third pot (of a closed jar shape with well-marked handles) was found intact. It reflects a different cultural tradition. Such products are very rare in the Altai Mountains. However, they are found in the neighboring and somewhat remote territories. This circumstance influenced the interpretation of the recorded situation. Pottery ware is an important archaeological source. Unfortunately, it has not yet become a separate research area in the study of the Pazyryk Culture. It is hoped that the developments of the authors of the paper will contribute to the research. The specific nature of this additional burial of the deceased person is noted. The investigated archaeological site to a certain extent may reflect the processes of interaction of the Pazyryk population with their northern neighbors. The body of the considered data complements the content and features of the culture of the Altai population of the Scythian-Saka period.

The paper considers the technology of computer modeling of the general structure of a completely lost architectural complex, implemented on the basis of fragmentary reference information. The author's interpretation of the most reasonable reconstruction of the object under study is presented. The paper considers the technology of computer modeling of a lost unique historical architectural complex, implemented using various sources in their content reflecting only fragmentary background information on the problem under study. Thus, the authors have taken an integrated approach in reproducing the unique appearance of the fortification, which maximally corresponds to the basic concept of construction and the requirements for military fortifications of the period under study. The uniqueness of this work lies in the fact that the use of modern information technologies acts as a tool, which allow not only to restore the lost appearance of the first military-administrative center of the Amur region, but also to promote promising research on the history of the development of the Russian Far East. In the first part of the described study, the authors have already successfully tested the above technology, following which the results of the analysis of topographic data and elementary modeling of the fortress wall of the Albazin fort built in 1686 were presented. Taking into account the general totality of the data obtained, the authors propose a rather original ontological model of the general structure of the prison. This model assumes a comparison with the existing and previously presented by other researchers models of the prison. Russian Russian pioneers and defenders of the Russian land, which in turn allows us to take a fresh look at the historical events of the heroic confrontation of the Russian pioneers and defenders of the Russian land against the enemy who is many times outnumbered and outgunned, to study the strengths and weaknesses of the tactics of the opposing sides.

In this paper, the contribution of the staff of the Research Institute of Art Industry to the study of Russian long-term resident population on the territory of the Altai Krai, which up to 1990 included Gorno-Altai Autonomous Region, is presented and analyzed. The analysis is conducted on the basis of studying the collection of the field materials by identifying all expeditions which took place, their routes, participants, and results of the field research. The main sources of the research were represented by the archival funds of the institute, which appeared to be fragmentary. The main part of the materials was deposited to the Russian National Museum of Decorative, Applied and Folk Arts. For the subject of this paper, the reports on scientific topics and field trips are of the most interest; an extensive body of visual sources (sketches and photographs) have been used as well, whose superior quality was achieved through participation of professional staff artists and photographers in their production. The population of the Altai Krai (modern Altai Krai and the Altai Republic) were embraced in the field work in the 1950s — 4 expeditions (1951, 1954, 1955, and 1956) and one in 1979. The initial interest was in the culture of the Turkic-speaking population and Turkic traditions of rug weaving and ornamentation. The later expeditions were conducted by two groups — on the study of Turkic and Russian populations. The main objects of the research were architecture, house construction and decoration, weaving, homeware and household appliances and other items which preserved the traces of the long-term residence culture. The revelation for the researchers from the institute was the abundant presence of wooden house carving, both as fragments and as whole complexes. The objects and pieces of art recorded by the researchers are the unique sources which had already disappeared by the 1970s. Part of the collections kept in the Russian National Museum of Decorative, Applied and Folk Arts has primary field materials. These sources were partially published in the works of art historians, but their great ethnographical potential is not yet exhausted.

The paper provides data on findings, the analysis of which complements the topography of the Golden Horde city of Azak, indicating the locations of several mosques in its territory. The scarce information from written sources, represented by the works of Ibn-Battuta and Josaphat Barbaro, does not provide a basis for an accurate localization. Archaeological materials come to the rescue. Among them are fragments of stone paste and clay tiles, fragments of mosaics, as well as carved stone slabs, glass lamps, and marble mortars. The finds are concentrated in several locations within the city, some of them accompanying the excavated foundations of the walls and minaret towers. An important role is assigned to specimens of architectural decoration containing inscriptions. The paper features the first translation of the Arabic texts found on the inscriptions. It serves as an additional confirmation of the proximate location of Muslim cult structures. As a result of mapping the finds and excavated parts of the buildings, five places were identified in different parts of the city, where a mosque or madrasah very likely existed.

The territory of the Kanin Peninsula is a part of Nenets Autonomous District (the north of European Russia), and it borders on the south with the Mezen River basin. The Kanin Tundra occupies almost the entire area of the peninsula. The Kanin Peninsula is the most western region of traditional inhabitance of the Nenets and Izhma Komi ethnic groups. Historically, the nomadic economy of local reindeer herders was based on combination of reindeer husbandry, hunting and fishing. In this paper, different types of nomadic reindeer herding in the region in the first third of the 20th century and transformations currently occurring in the traditional economy are analyzed. The main research sources are represented by the materials of the Circumpolar Census of 1926/27 and materials of the author’s field studies. In the paper, principal components of nomadic reindeer herding in the region were studied, such as herd size and composition, migrations routes etc. Moreover, the factors determining specifics of the economic structure of the Nenets and Izhma Komi groups are analyzed, namely, the nature of interactions between the nomadic and sedentary populations of the region and the degree of orientation toward the “market” of nomadic economies. Characteristics of three basic types of the nomadic economy (hunting-and-fishing, mixed, and large herding) are given. The economic focus of households was determining the content of all elements of the traditional lifestyle. In the early 1930s, collectivization began in the region, and the nomadic reindeer husbandry started developing within collective and state farms; there existed nomadic reindeer herding. This circumstance greatly affected the nomadic economy of the region. In the early 1990s, collective and state farms were transformed into agricultural cooperatives. Comparing the nomadic economy of the two selected periods, it is concluded that the role of the reindeer husbandry in the occupational structure of the Nenets and Izhma Komi groups is currently increasi

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the controversial issues of studying the Eneolithic of the forest Volga Region, Prikamye, and Trans-Urals. The main results of the study of the early metal epoch of the Middle Volga Region, articulated in the monograph by V.V. Nikitin, are considered. The conclusions of the author of the monograph are based on a considerable source base. The materials were analyzed both by individual housing structures and by complexes. A more scrupulous analysis is devoted to the pottery items, as a priority in distinguishing the Eneolithic cultures. Stone industries are more prone to the territorial specifics associated with raw material resources. The sections of the book allow researchers of the adjacent territories to envision the cultural specificity of the Middle Volga antiquities against the background of the Eneolithic cultures of the Volga-Kama region. The monograph proposes to distinguish a special Maidan Culture within the Volosovo historical and cultural community. The paper touches upon the aspect of the relationship between the cultural area and community. Peculiarities of the origins of the Early Eneolithic cultures in the Upper Volga region, Prikamye, and Trans-Urals are observed. Local and foreign components are taken into account. General and specific chronological boundaries of the appearance and development in different territories are identified, and their reasons are explained. Attention is drawn to the fact that the complexes preceding the Volosovо or Ayat structures belong to the Late Neolithic or Early Eneolithic. The processes of intercultural interaction between the Trans-Urals and Cis-Urals cultures are recorded both in the transition period from the Neolithic to the Eneolithic and in the later period. The significant influence of the bearers of the forest-steppe zone cultures on the northern neighbors is ascertained. A more mosaic cultural diversity is recorded in the southern territories when compared with the cultures of the forest belt. The question of whether the Eneolithic inhabitants of this region practiced agriculture or stock rearing remains controversial. The least developed are the aspects related to both the social structure and the further fate of the tribes of the early metal epoch. Reconstructions of components of the spiritual culture of the Eneolithic population are highly hypothetical.

Modern sociological studies of Protestantism are focused mainly on how communities are formed and develop in the context of their relations with the state and between themselves, personal stories of the believers, and contents and forms of conducting religious practices. Researchers often neglect to describe the numbers and demographic characteristics of practicing believers, and to analyze changes of these parameters over time. In this paper, based on the materials of the field research conducted in Tyumen, Tobolsk, Ishim, and Yalutorovsk in 2014–2016, we identify the locations, demographic composition, and size dynamics of the Protestant prayer meetings. The paper showcases new data on Tyumen accounting for the associations which appeared after 2011 and for the first time presents materials on Tobolsk, Ishim, and Yalutorovsk. Non-participant structured observation was the principal method of the field research. Analysis of photographic documents posted on the web-sites and web-pages of the Protestant associations, as well as interviews with religious specialists were used as additional methods. We observed that there was an increase in the number of Protestant associations from 2008 to 2016: the number of the associations in Tyumen increased by five and about five new communes appeared in the other cities. The most attended weekly prayer meetings were recorded in Tyumen in 2016. They gathered up to 200 people. The largest services in Ishim and Yalutorovsk in 2015 were attended by up to 70 people. The communal prayers in Tobolsk in 2014 were attended by up to 170 people. We have identified the following factors that influence the size of the prayer meetings: ownership of the premises by the association and the period of its activity in the region. Communes who have their own premises are larger than those renting an office or a building of another Protestant association. Also, churches formed in the early or mid-1990s feature the largest numbers of the parishioners. It was found that in all studied cities middle-aged women represent the largest group of the parishioners, which is consistent with the results of research in other Russian cities and towns.

Thе paper is based on the results of the “Arctic connections: people and infrastructures” project (2018–2021) which was aimed at interdisciplinary study of modern population of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. The paper is focused on the study of social support networks and their spatial distribution. We combine socioanthropological (qualitative) and economic-geographical (quantitative) methods of research and analysis; the field data obtained as the result of in-depth interviews and observation of the participants were corroborated by rigorous quantitative analysis of available demographic data. For the anthropological analysis we use the prism of translocality and transnationalism, which enable an understanding of the structure of lives of people who do not reside in only one place but are connected by many ties and relationships to a whole range of localities. The family life of the northerners is often distributed between several localities, scattered across the whole country, and sometimes beyond its borders. The location of these ‘bases’ depends primarily on the configuration of each family’s social networks. We call this ‘a distributed way of life’. The quantitative analysis was carried out using the methodology of calculating the Migration Indices of Proportionality of (spatial) Structure (MIPS) of departures and arrivals of the migrants, proposed by O.L. Rybakovsky. The geographical scope of the study is the entire Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, as well as the regions most connected with the Arctic by migration ties (the southern part of the Tyumen region, Kurgan, Kaliningrad, Belgorod, Kirov Regions, etc.). The results of the study revealed close interregional migration ties between the groups of regions that are significantly spatially separated from each other: 1) between the majority of the regions of the Far North, on one hand, and Kaliningrad and Belgorod Regions on the other; 2) between Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug and the Republics of Dagestan and Bashkortostan; 3) between Yamalo-Nenets Okrug and the Republic of Bashkortostan and the Omsk and Kurgan regions, as well as the south of the Tyumen Region; 4) between Nenets Autonomous Okrug and Kirov Region. The qualitative studies have shown how the migration flows in these areas increase due to established social ties, which in some cases are sustained already for several generations. In the paper, the importance of the influence of interregional social ties, both for the Arctic and for the country in general, is demonstrated. The authors demonstrate how these connections between the “northern” and “non-northern” regions, which are separated by about a 1000 km distance, lead to such close relations which are more characteristic of relationships between a population center and its nearest periphery. This ultra-distant social proximity is a vivid manifestation of the specifics of the Russian North and Arctic.

The paper addresses the issues of the operation of urban settlements in the territory of the Volga Bolgaria in the second half of the 13th – early 15th centuries. Attention is drawn to their distribution and arrangement in the Middle Volga region after the Mongol conquest, as well as to the specifics of these settlements of this time period. The author makes a conclusion about the different distribution of settlement monuments in the area, as well as the quantitative ratio during the 10th–15th centuries. Based on a complex of archaeological information obtained in the course of their study, a conclusion is made about the continued development of urban planning in the territory of the Bolgar ulus of the Golden Horde and its long-term continuity. One of the examples was the continuity of pre-Mongol traditions in the construction and use of fortifications in individual settlements located in the region, as well as the preservation of technological methods in the construction of fortifications. In this regard, the paper addresses the differences from the cities of the central part of the Golden Horde state. The development of the city of Bolgar and its planning features are given as an example.

The paper presents a previously unpublished numismatic collection from Rozhdestveno village in the Laishevsky District of Tatarstan included in the memorial collection of the Archaeological Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan of the Institute of Archaeology of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences. Twelve silver coins of the 14th–15th centuries are analyzed and published for the first time. Previously published materials found in the vicinity of Rozhdestveno village are used for analysis. In general, this is a complex of more than 170 Juchid coins of the mid-13th – first half of the 15th centuries, and coins of Russian principalities. Most of the coins were minted in the 15th century. Two photo tables are attached to the paper. The numismatic material presented in the paper illustrates the monetary circulation of the Bolgar Vilayat in the 12th–15th centuries on the basis of archaeological materials found near Rozhdestveno.

The paper addresses the formation history of a collection of materials from the Muran burial ground of the Golden Horde period in the funds of the Ulyanovsk Regional Museum of Local Lore. The burial ground, located at Samara Luka, was first explored in the late 19th – early 20th century by Simbirsk archaeologist V. N. Polivanov. The museum collection includes about 400 archaeological finds from the Muran burial ground. The paper contains information about individual categories of grave goods. A number of products from non-ferrous metals were produced by craftsmen who lived in Muran ancient village. Stone casting molds found at the settlement and in one of the burials can serve as evidence of local production. The main portion of the archaeological finds from the Muran burial ground dates back to the second half of the 13th – 14th centuries and has analogies among the materials of the synchronous Mordovian burial grounds of the Middle Volga region.

Individual types of iron ware from Bagaevka ancient village of the second half of 13th–14th centuries located in the periphery of the Golden Horde city of Ukek in Saratovsky District of Saratov Oblast are analyzed in the paper. The ancient village was excavated during an expedition by Kazan University under the supervision of L.F. Nedashkovsky in 2002–003, 2006-2012, 2014–2016 and 2020–2021. The area of the monument is 5.1 hectares, and the thickness of the cultural layer in some places exceeds 90 cm. Numismatic finds from the site belong to the Golden Horde coinage of the last quarter of the 13th - the beginning of the 1360s. The paper considers iron nails, braces, shackles, needles, awls, petioles, wire fragment, chain link, tweezers, tool fragment, debarker, sickle, fishing hook, scythe fragments, saws and other undefined ware. This complex characterizes the material culture of the Golden Horde village of the Lower Volga region.

The paper introduces into scientific discourse the details of early medieval ceramic containers discovered in the course of studies by the Astrakhan Museum-Reserve and the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences conducted at the Semibugorinsky archaeological complex in 2021, and deposited at the Astrakhan Museum-Reserve. The studied vessels belong to the so-called pithos-jugs of the Saltovo-Mayaki circle of the 8th–10th centuries. Such ceramic products are widely known from the Khazar monuments of the North Caucasus, in the lower reaches of the Don, the Don area and in the Crimea, found both in the form of whole items and numerous fragments. The paper examines in detail the morphology of the published vessels and their dimensional parameters, and outlines the circle of the closest analogies for each of the items. The issues of the chronology of container ware are discussed. Taking into account the evolution of pottery traditions, mainly related to the process of firing ceramics, which led to a change in its color from gray-clay to red-clay, the authors date the presented red-clay unpolished pithos-jugs the late 9th – early beginning 10th centuries. The assumptions about their manufacture by local artisans-potters are substantiated, as evidenced by numerous discovered fragments of red-clay thick-walled ware, defective ceramic products and ceramic slag. The published vessels expand the source base on the early medieval ceramics of the Volga delta.