Purpose. Teaching Siberian archaeology to foreign students has its own characteristics and requires a special ap-proach. Not all terms and phenomena are equivalent to the language and archaeological experience of the students. Therefore, the teacher is unlikely to be able to make foreign students interested in their subject matter by simply giv-ing lectures, since it is not always possible to achieve a full contact with the audience. The use of visual materials while conducting courses helps solve a lot of problems of teaching Siberian archaeology to foreign students. In ar-chaeology, such a visual material is an archaeological site or an artifact. Thus, the method of “immersion” into the en-vironment of the subject studied, which we implement as an excursion to archaeological sites while giving lectures directly at the place where the studied phenomenon can be found, is particularly popular as a way of teaching archae-ology to foreigners. Results. Such a technique was implemented in 2018 by researchers of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of SB RAS and Professor Kang In Uk during the summer course of teaching Siberian archaeology to history students from Kyung Hee University (Seoul, the Republic of Korea). As a part of this course, students visited mound complex-es and rock art objects in the Altai Mountains and ground burial sites of the Neolithic and Bronze Age in the Baraba forest-steppe region. The course included not only a detailed examination of the sites, but also lecturing at each of them. As our experience shows, the students were most interested in the topics resembling the ancient culture of the peoples of the Korean Peninsula, such as burial mounds, rock images of female shamans, Andronovo-type objects, etc. These subjects are relevant not only for research theses, but also as topics for individual research projects. This indicates that the goal of hosting a summer course on archaeology of Siberia for Korean students was achieved: the topic aroused deep interest among the audience. Conclusion. There is no doubt that the methodology of teaching Siberian archaeology to foreign students described in the present article is not only effective, but also has great prospects in the form of various master classes and work-shops, as well as in the form of direct participation of foreign students in archaeological excavations in Siberia.

Purpose. The 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War is celebrated in Russia in 2020. This article focuses on the research activities of Academician A. P. Okladnikov, whose mission during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 was to study Yakutia’s ancient history. Results. Yakutia is located in the north-eastern part of Siberia. It is the largest administrative and territorial subject of Russia (3,083,523 square kilometers or 1,190,555 square mile) with a great natural economic and resource potential. The Soviet period in the history of the region is associated with its large-scale development. A. P. Okladnikov’s research initiated the systematic study of Yakutia’s ancient history. His research was conducted during the hardest time for Russia, the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. Back in 1939, a well-known young scientist, who had earned a PhD and was the author of several discoveries in Siberia and Central Asia, received an invitation from the Institute of Culture under the Council of People’s Commissars of the Yakut ASSR to do archaeological research in the Lena River valley. During the following six years his life was devoted to ancient Yakutia. Conclusion. The monumental task of writing the history of this region was fully implemented. The studies of A. P. Okladnikov are appreciated locally by the State and internationally by the scientific community. The scientist was awarded the medal “For Valiant Labour during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945” and two “Badge of Honor” orders. His scientific ideas are so fundamental that are still highly regarded by students, colleagues and modern researchers.

Purpose. In the article, we present materials from the new investigation of the multi-layered Papskoe settlement (hillfort) near the Iset River (Kurgan region). According to the results of the excavation, we identified six episodes of habitat in the Early Iron Age and in the Middle Ages. Results. Stratigraphic layers of the shaft, traces from ground and frame-pillar structures, and burials, probably of the Chiyalik type, make it possible to establish types of local sequence. We identified individual ceramic complexes of Kushnarenkovo and Petrogromskoe types in addition to buildings with artifacts belonging to Medieval and Iron Age types. The results of our analysis of the typological features of ceramics in the chronological context of things and soil layers, as well as data of radiocarbon columns allow us to identify short scales of the activity of various groups in the valley of the Iset River. Conclusion. In our opinion, the ancient population had used the site of the settlement repeatedly during the period from the 7th century BC to the 15th century AD in this sequence: the Baitovo - 7th-5th BC; the Sargatka - 4th-2nd BC; the Kashino - 2 nd-1st BC; the Early Bakal - 4 th-5 th AD; the Late Bakal - 5 th-7 th AD; the Yudino - 9 th-13 th AD; the Chijalik - 14 th-15 th AD.

Purpose. The authors considered and analyzed various types of iron arrowheads that are kept as a part of weapon col-lection in the private museum “Rarity” in Bishkek, in the Kyrgyz Republic. We traced primary events related to the history of studying types of iron arrows that were detected at different times by scientists and modern collectors of antiquities on the territory of Tian Shan and Jetysu. Results. The armament objects of long-range combat are classified according to their formal signs. All iron arrow-heads from the collection studied were divided into particular groups and types by characteristic features of their sec-tion and form of feather. On the basis of our formal and typological analysis, we put forward several suggestions about possible functionality of the types of iron arrowheads that we singled out. Some arrowheads were intended for defeat of lightly-armed hostile warriors, whereas other types were created for archery against heavily-armed adver-saries, who were defended by metal or chain armor. Still other arrowheads were universal and could be applied for shelling both warriors non-protected with metal armor and warriors who had those defensive means. Conclusion. Our analysis of iron arrowheads from this collection can be used further for characterizing long-range combat weapon complexes of ancient and medieval warriors of several ethnic groups which resided on the territory of Tian Shan and Jetysu in the boundaries of the Kyrgyz Republic during the Hunnic times and following historical periods of the Early and High Middle Ages.

Purpose. In the course of archaeological research of Russian ostrogs (wooden fortresses) in Siberia, which belong to the end of the 16th - the first half of the 18th centuries, researchers come across remains of defensive fortifications, interpretation of which is rather complicated. Such remains include traces of continuous pile and column foundations of ostrog towers. The objective of this article is to identify all known structures of this type, determine essential ele-ments of their construction and discover the functional purpose of such a foundation. Results. In the course of archаeological research, four towers with continuous pile and column foundation were dis-covered, namely, a south-western tower of Umrevinskii Ostrog, one of Tobolsk towers, a south-eastern tower and a north-western tower of Udinskii Ostrog. Information on discovery of towers with such a foundation in Mangazeya was not confirmed. The existence of such a foundation under the western tower of the Sosnovskii Ostrog remains dis-putable. One of such towers preserved its original foundation in the town of Bel’sk (Irkutsk region) till 1987. Three towers with continuous pile and column foundations were discovered in Krasnoyarskii Ostrog in written sources. Conclusion. It is determined that all towers were located on the slope or next to it, their dimensions were considerably smaller than average ones, while their depth and thickness of logs were equal and met the same parameters of the lath fence walls. Such towers were intended first for reducing a load on unstable grounds on the slopes and next to them at the expense of small sizes of towers and secondly for preventing uneven subsidence of the tower bases, which due to a small perimeter thereof can result in a considerable lurch and subsequent collapse or damage of the structural integrity of the building.

Purpose. Scientific knowledge about the military arsenal of Russian pioneers in Siberia is not complete. The archaeo-logical materials of the town of Tobolsk allow us to enrich and specify available data on the armament of serving peo-ple. Results. The study of firearms at the end of the 16th - 17th centuries has been based on an integrated approach using both written sources and archaeological materials. When analyzing findings, we widely use statistical calculation, classification and a comparative historical method. Our analysis of the bullets found on the territory of the town of Tobolsk shows that at the end of the 16th - 17th centuries one of mold features is a spherical lead projectile cast. However, there are bullets that are not fully cast. The lead funnel after casting is not always cut off from the bullet or is not completely cut off at all. On several findings, incisions were made that allowed to seriously wound the ene-my, similar to the use of the lead funnel. Bullets were rarely made in a mechanical way, without casting. Among findings there are details of gun locks represented by screws from the percussion mechanism, flints and lead gasket. A separate category of findings are ramrod tips. Conclusion. In Tobolsk at the end of the 16th - 17th centuries, wick guns gradually went out of use and were replaced by weapons with shock-flint locks. At the same time, both light carbines and pistols, and large-caliber muskets and fortress rifles had a limited distribution, and the most significant was the pishchal’ rifle. Tobolsk citizens tended to buy multipurpose weapons that could be used both for fighting and hunting, and those which were reasonably priced.

Purpose. We describe a saber from the collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums (Inventory no. 4427). Results. The total length of the saber is 101.5 cm including the length of the blade 87.5 cm. When in the scabbard, the length is 106.5 cm. The grip and metal elements of the scabbard are made of gilded silver. Their surface is decorated with floral engraving. Mounts and big bezels contain pieces of turquoise and jade. The grip is inlaid with jade plates, gold and mounted rubies. We analyzed the construction and decoration of the saber and the scabbard and concluded that they were made by Ottoman masters in the first half of the 17^th century. The closest analogues of the saber are stored in the Moscow Kremlin Armory, the State Hermitage Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, etc. According to the inscription on the blade, we refer the weapon to the type of insignia, which were given to Kazakh rulers who became Russian citizens and were approved as khans. A common historiographical attribution of the saber as belonging to Erali Khan (1729) has been proved wrong. According to the documents of the 18^th century available, the saber initially was to be given to a famous Kazakh khan of the Middle jüz of Kazakhstan Ablai Khan (1711-1780). In 1778, the blade of the 17^th century was signed in Russian and Arab, the scabbard was covered with red tissue, the gilded elements were freshened up, and a shoulder harness made of silk of two colors was added, together with a case. In the second half of 1778, the saber was delivered to the Peter and Paul Fortress of the Novyi Ishim defense line, where it was to be handed to Ablai Khan. However, due to some political disagreements he refused to accept the signs of the power, and the saber, along with other gifts, was left to be stored in the fortress. In May 1781, Ablai’s son, a newly elected Vali Khan (1744-1821), addressed Russian authorities asking them to pass him the signs of the khan’s power and Ablai’s allowance. As the insignia was to be given to the new owner, the inscription had to be changed. The saber was sent to Orenburg, where a local master changed the khan’s name and the year. During an official ceremony in the Peter and Paul Fortress, which was held on 1 November, 1782, the weapon was awarded to Vali Khan. Later on, the saber was passed on and stored by some families of noble Kazakhs. Conclusion. The saber is of a high scientific value as it is the only surviving and almost undamaged symbol of Kazakh khans’ power. It is a unique relic of Russian-Kazakh relations in the 18^th century.

Purpose. In the conditions of accelerated development of modernization processes in Kazakhstan, there is increased interest in the study of Kazakh heritage by historians and ethnographers of the 19th - 20th centuries . The purpose of this work is to identify the main scientific issues in the ethnography of the Kazakhs covered in Grigorii Nikolaevich Potanin’s studies. Scientific works of this outstanding scientist in this respect are particularly relevant. Firstly, the re-searcher was born in one of the fortifications in the Kazakh steppe and had a good command of the Kazakh language as he was familiar with the peculiarities of culture and life of the Kazakh people since his childhood. Secondly, he was a famous ethnographer, a member of the Russian Geographical Society and participated in several scientific expedi-tions on the territory of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China. This article deals with studying the traditional culture of the Kazakh people by the famous ethnographer G. N. Potanin (1835-1920). We analyze the main works of the researcher devoted to the study of the spiritual culture of the Kazakh people. On the basis of our study, we identify that the study of folklore was one of central and most important issues among the various scientific aspects G. N. Potanin raised. Results. G. N. Potanin focused on studying oral folk art of the Kazakh people including genealogical legends. He ana-lyzed the origin of those legends and their similarities with legends of other peoples. The researcher also collected and recorded fairy tales, proverbs, riddles and tongue twisters of the Kazakh people. G. N. Potanin proved the so-called “eastern hypothesis” of the origin and development of the medieval European epic. In our opinion, G. N. Potanin con-centrated on studying oral folk art because it reflects the life of the Kazakh people. The researcher noted a certain in-fluence of Islam and Central Asian culture on the traditional culture of the Kazakh people. He studied ethnic composi-tion, social structure, traditional economy and material culture of the Kazakh people. Conclusion. Thus, the study of Kazakh folklore, including oral and musical creativity, was the main important issue in G. N. Potanin’s research. He made conclusions on the ethnic composition, the traditional system of life support of the Kazakh people. In this small work, we noted only a small range of aspects that are reflected in the work of the great researcher. It is necessary to widen the range of archival materials studied to continue investigating the heritage of this outstanding Russian scientist, a true friend of the Kazakh people.

Purpose. The aim of this study is to identify a set of traditional views of the Buryats associated with insects. Results. In the popular zoological classification of the Buryats, the insects were distinguished as a separate class due to their small size. Another sign of this class was the characteristic of insects being nimble. Insects were divided into such groups as “winged insects”, “worms and beetles”, “social insects” and others. Images of insects that live in the sky, water and on earth were not always determined by their habitat. According to the Buryat views, there was a group of chthonic creatures, such as midges, flies, lice, fleas and beetles. At the same time, there existed a popular belief that insects appeared as falling from the sky. By contrast with other classes of animals, insects in Buryats beliefs were not personified in a single spirit as the patron of insects. Images of representatives of the order of Lepidoptera, such as butterflies and moths, are rarely present in the traditional worldview of the Buryats. According to their views, in addi-tion to the presence of wings, the most important feature of many Diptera insects is their ability to produce monoto-nous sounds while flying - buzz, and this quality is reflected in the Buryat vocabulary. The Buryats believed that cer-tain insects had unique features. For instance, the bee had a feminine essence. It is worth noting that the bee was included into a limited group of animals, together with a swallow and an ant, whose presence in the Buryat dwelling was considered favorable for the life of the family. According to the Buryats’ mythological views, only ants had a hi-erarchy in their groups. Conclusion. Our analysis has shown that insects were not very important creatures in the Buryats’ beliefs. However, some insects had distinct characteristics. The ant and the bee were considered to be positive, while the gadfly, mosqui-to, wasp, moth, bug, louse and flea negative. It should also be noted that the chthonic origin of the ant did not deter-mine its final connotation. The Buryats often compared insects to other animal species. The material considered shows that they associated a soul with opposite images of bees and wasps. Some insects were connected with the idea of ly-canthropy and the symbolism of fertility, such as the ant and the bee. Unlike other classes of animals, insects were vaguely represented in the myth-ritual practices of the Buryats. Some Buryat views on insects find parallels with the mythological judgments of other peoples, such as the Mongols, Slavic tribes, etc., which is explained by the universal character of the images, typological coincidences and intercultural contacts (primarily with the Mongols).

Purpose. The article is devoted to the study of nominating the items of traditional Khakass housing in the Sayan-Altai region. We considered difficult issues of their genesis focusing on a number of poorly researched types of housings. Results. The study analyzes the use of the names of traditional Khakass dwellings that are well-known in Ethnogra-phy, including their rare dialect nominations recorded by domestic ethnographers. It is noted that some nominations studied are used to determine a house as an object of material culture, whereas other nominations demonstrate a clarifying characteristic, which ultimately determines the differences in the nominations. We considered interpretations of the names of a number of nomad dwellings, such as the name of an archaic housing of taiga Khakass “ at ib ”. Genesis of the dwellings names is shown in relation to log housings (tura) and frame-pillar constructions (at ib, otah / otag) of the Khakass, which represents a modern trend of studying the Khakass’ material culture. Conclusion. It is necessary to classify the names of Khakass dwellings known by describing their types. A number of issues relating to the genesis and origin of the types of dwellings studied in relation to otah / otag is still open and requires more additional data. In our opinion, the problem of the genesis of the Khakass dwelling tura, which features a log wooden construction, has been solved and shows its autochthonous character.

Purpose. The article is devoted to the classification of demonological images in the views of the Tuvans based on the materials gathered during field studies. The mythology associated with evil spirits is subject to transformation. It is a dynamic, ever-changing process. Therefore, the publication of new field materials on this topic will help to clarify the existing ideas about the mythology of the Tuvan ethnos and its evolution. Results. The work gives a general description of evil spirits and their habitats, as well as functional and semantic char-acteristics, which are reflected in ritual practices and popular knowledge. For the Tuvans, most places inhabited by evil spirits are ambivalent, that is, sacred and forbidden at the same time, as well as transboundary. The results of our studies show that certain places are considered by the Tuvans as sacred due to their ideas about the strength of the earth itself, as well as their beliefs about the existence of spirit masters of the area. Conclusion. In general, the study revealed common and specific features in the anthropology of space, its development, taking into account the management of the economy and the traditional way of life of the Tuvans.

Purpose. In the traditional picture of the world of the Turk-Mongolian peoples of Siberia, an important place is occu-pied by ideas about the structure of the human body and its organs. Interest in this topic is justified by the poor previ-ous study of the information that the Turk-Mongols of Siberia had about the structure and functioning of the human body. This article sets the task of studying the perception and understanding of the meaning and functions of human organs through eye diseases. Results. Folk medical knowledge, which was accumulated over centuries by the Turk-Mongolian peoples, is a valua-ble source that can reveal how representatives of the nomadic culture perceived and understood the structure and func-tions of the human body. The study of eye diseases, interpretations of the nature of the diseases, and ways of treating them allow us to conclude that the most common diseases of the Turk-Mongolian peoples were cataract, trachoma, and conjunctivitis. A number of diseases, such as conjunctivitis, glaucoma and cataract, are connected with heavenly bodies - the stars and the moon, which led to the specificity of “medical” drugs and therapeutic techniques used. In particular, this is the use of nacre, the external data of which caused associations with the moon. A gradual re-placement of expensive “medical” mixtures with more affordable ones, such as sugar, is specified. Conclusion. In traditional views, human eyes are represented as a source of light. With the extinction of the light source, vision is lost. There is a connection between the ability of a person to see and heavenly night lights. It also manifests itself through the prism of “medical” means and therapeutic techniques used in the treatment of eye diseas-es. Cataract is a characteristic disease of the population of Central and Inner Asia, the areas which are exposed to in-tense solar radiation. Trachoma is a disease of an infectious nature in the absence of hygiene, and it rapidly spread among the indigenous peoples of Siberia. There is little evidence of myopia and glaucoma. The notions of myopia known in the Turk-Mongolian are associated with poor eyesight in domestic animals - horses and cattle, and therefore prohibitions to eat these animals’ eyes for food were common.

Purpose. In modern society, issues of preserving cultural heritage are of constant relevance. This is due to the ongoing struggle for the realization of the interests of a large number of agents. The participants in this process are executive authorities, academic institutions, commercial organizations and economic entities. The interests of each agent are in their own plane whose extreme points intersect with the planes of other agents. Consequently, all parties involved in preserving cultural heritage have points of convergence of their interests. In order to arrange preservation of cultural heritage as a common project, it is necessary to develop communication at the points of convergence of the interests. For this purpose, the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of SB RAS conducted a methodological seminar on March 4-5, 2019, that brought together archaeologists from Western and Eastern Siberia and the Far East. The workshop was attended by representatives of institutions of the Russian Academy of Sciences and executive authorities, as well as practicing archaeologists and experts. The extensive geography of the participants and the opportunity to communicate “at the same table” allowed us to openly discuss topical issues. Results. The main topics of discussion were changes in the federal legislation related to the preservation of cultural heritage. The main issue here is enormous complexity of its adequate and full application at the local level. However, in some cases, efforts of regional executive bodies help to solve these problems quite effectively. The other side of the issue is preparation of proposals for a change in the regulatory documents governing such areas of the economy as forestry and subsoil use. The issue of systematizing information on cultural heritage sites, which is currently accumulated in various institutions, has acquired particular relevance. This is due to its colossal scale and increased interest in the results of analytical studies of the laws addressing spatial location of archaeological sites. Conclusion. The outcome of the seminar was its resolution presented in this paper. The paragraphs of the resolution reflect the main conclusions and proposed solutions that were agreed by various specialists during the general discussion. This event, as a platform for communication, is extremely important for establishing a common position of the scientific archaeological community.