Purpose. The article generalizes the experience of project and activity approach in the process of teaching archeology in Altay State Pedagogical University, based on the interaction of such organization development as Historical and Local History Museum, Scientific laboratory “Regional Studies Through History” and the Industrial Park of the Universal Pedagogical Competence.
Results. In the implementing process the problem arose of searching and testing new, more accessible forms of organizing project activities used by students in the pedagogical process. The authors think that the archeological reconstruction fits this viewpoint of social activity. It can be implemented naturally and virtually with different authenticity levels. The project and activity approach in teaching archeology is approved using the example of making a stylized dagger, Early Iron Age armor and a 3D model of a sculptural image of a warrior from this era. In addition, the approach was tested in teaching pedagogical university students undergoing professional training and students interacting with pupils as part of educational and pedagogical internships.
Conclusion. The authors conclude that project and activity approach makes it possible to combine scooped from the professional literature and the students’ theoretical knowledge in the process of studying effectively with the active mechanism of their presentations in modern educational system.

The article presents the history and study of the Paleo-Eskimo site of Chertov Ovrag on the Wrangel Island. The author describes results of excavations of this site, gives the characteristics of the complex of stone and bone tools, and discusses the dating of the archaeological monument. Warming in Arctic regions since 4 500 years ago has created an opportunity for sea hunters to migrate westward from the American Arctic. The emergence of the PaleoEskimo tradition in the extreme North-East of Asia is associated with the migration to the Bering Strait zone of the Paleo-Eskimo groups of Arctic America, which took place approximately 3 500 cal. years ago. The Chertov Ovrag site is a short-term hunting camp. Its inhabitants were hunters of marine mammals and could be engaged in the pricking of animals not far from the site on the coastal pebble strip. Stone artifacts have traces of wear, which probably indicates their long transportation in a leather bag and the possible making of tools and blanks outside the island. Most of the radiocarbon dating of the site back to the end of the 2nd – the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. Taking into account the correction or the reservoir effect, the age of the site should be determined at the turn of 1st millennium BC. The Wrangel culture, most likely, belongs to the most ancient stratum of the Paleo-Eskimo tribes, on the basis of which many coastal cultures of the Pacific North were formed. The range of Paleo-Eskimo cultures also includes the settlement of Unenen, located in the south of the Chukotka Peninsula, and the Tokarev culture of Northern Priokhotye.

The historical and cultural approach is currently being actively used by archaeologists to study ceramic products. The approach developed by A. A. Bobrinsky is still being improved nowadays, the article presents the stages and results of an experiment to create scales of concentration of uncalibrated chamotte. The purpose of the experiment is to create scales to identify the concentration of uncalibrated chamotte in archaeological ceramics. In the course of the work, it was determined that the average amount of chamotte in samples using as a feedstock in a dry crushed state is higher than in a recipe using raw materials in a naturally moistened state. Concentrations of 1:6, 1:7 can be divided only conditionally, since the average amount of chamotte per 1 cm2 is almost the same for the initial plastic raw mate rials in any state. Chamotte of the largest fractions is found in a maximum of 5 % of the samples studied. It is worth noting that when studying the concentration of coarse chamotte 2.0–5.0 mm, experimental samples were found on chips that did not contain chamotte inclusions. When using scales developed by A. A. Bobrinsky, it is necessary to apply a calculation formula and focus on the size of fractions, which complicates the process of determining the concentration of mineral impurities. The use of scales presented in the article to determine the concentration of uncalibrated chamotte is the most convenient to use when working with archaeological ceramics.

Purpose. At the present stage of research, with the expansion of the source base, it became necessary to update the previously put forward thesis about the close similarity of the most ancient lithic industry from the Denisova Cave with the materials of the Acheulo-Yabrudian Cultural Complex in the Levant.
Results. To identify possible cultural connections of the initial stage of the Middle Paleolithic of Altai Mountain with Near Eastern industries, we carried out a review of studies mainly of the last decade, devoted to materials from the Acheulo-Yabrudian complex of the second half of the Middle Pleistocene in the Levant. Acheulo-Yabrudian industries from the multi-layered caves of Qesem, Tabun and Misliya in Israel are considered as the main materials, for which a reliable geochronological and paleogeographical basis has been obtained. Comparative materials from the Denisova Cave became a representative archaeological collection from deposits of the second half of the Middle Pleistocene, the analysis of which made it possible to re-evaluate the technical and typological traditions of the Altai population at the beginning of the Middle Paleolithic.
Conclusion. A comparison of ancient materials from the Denisova Cave with Near Eastern finds revealed the presence of common features, both at the level of technology and in typology. These include a stable tradition of re-utilization of flakes, techniques of ventral thinning and proximal truncation of flakes, parallel technology to obtain elongated blanks, and typologically expressive series of side scrapers such as Quina and demi-Quina.

Purpose. The article is devoted to a comprehensive study of an informative find from the new Kuyacha site in the Peschanaya River valley in the northwestern part of the Altai Mountains, discovered during the survey of the channel alluvium of the left bank of the Kuyacha River in 2022.
Results. The artefact under discussion is examined from the point of view of technological and geologicalmineralogical analysis, and its cultural and chronological affiliation within the framework of the Upper Palaeolithic of the Altai is assessed. The analysis of published data allows us to say that the wedge-shaped core from the Kuyacha site is the first expressive evidence of Upper Palaeolithic microblade pressing technology in the valley of the Peschanaya River. For the microblades manufacture, effusive material of local origin with high consumer properties was used, a potential source of which could be the nearest rock outcrops of the Kuyagan Formation along the left tributary of the Kuyachonok River. The utilization of the wedge-shaped core involved several stages from the selection of a massive detachment and the creation of a preform by modifying the base with bilateral flattening removals, to the removal of the target blanks by the pressing method and the subsequent reforming of the core.
Conclusion. Based on a wide range of analogies, it was established that similar types of cores were widespread in Altai sites during the Late Upper Palaeolithic.

Observations. During the excavation of the multi-layered archeological site of Strelka-1 in 2021 a small cluster of microblades chipped off one core was found within Upper Paleolithic cultural layer. The cultural layer dated about 16 000 cal BP. 12 microblades were found tightly adjacent to each other in a kind of a “bunch”. It is possible that the blades originally were kept in an organic small “bag” or were tied with a strap together. The main part of the microblades conjoins back into two blocks of the initial core. Similar clusters of the stone pieces are described as caches that is purposely hidden values. The lithic industry relates to the Afontova culture which used microblades as insets for different composite tools made of organic materials. The set of the stone insets from cache matches to the term “tool kit”. There are the same tool kits in the Upper Paleolithic sites of the European part of Russia. A number of sites such as Kostenky-1 (in upper cultural layer), Avdeevo, Kamennaya Balka II etc. comprised “tool kits” consisting of stone blades placed into a cultural layer as a cache. Presumably such tool kits were the Stone Age huntersgatherers’ private property. The tool kits were made up shortly after the cleavage of a core.
Conclusion. The authors of this article interpret microblade tool kits as a display of the non-utilitarian behavior of Upper Paleolithic man. This phenomenon within very remote territories and in genetically unrelated cultures reflects the general archetype of consciousness of primitive people.

Purpose. The study results of the storage pit no. 1791 for fish supplies from the Tartas-1 site are presented. This site is the basis for studying the Early Neolithic Barabinskaya culture. The aim is to reconstruct the peculiarities of functioning and chronology of pit no. 1791 investigated at the site Tartas-1.
Results. During the investigation of the pit, it was discovered that upper layers were a later pit no. 1791 that was built on top of an older storage pit when it had ceased to function. In the bottom of this later pit, a horn of a large animal (probably a bison), a large fragment of a ceramic vessel, and a large accumulation of fish scales and gill coverings were found; in the older pit numerous almost rotted fish bones and an animal (probably dog) bone were found. Radiocarbon dating has been used to determine the chronological position of the pit no. 1791. Samples of bison horn fragments and dog bones, stratigraphically located at different depths, were used.
Conclusions. The analysis confirmed the stratigraphic observations made earlier: the dates obtained chronologically place the pit in the Early Neolithic period, and they correlate with the dates obtained previously in laboratories in Germany and Russia, within the VII millennium BC, with a partial overlap to the VIII century BC. Radiocarbon dating confirmed the stratigraphic observations. We studied two Early Neolithic objects: an early fish storage pit and a late pit that sealed it. Few remains of fish bones and a dog bone were found in the fill and at the bottom of the early pit. The late pit contained a hoard of buffalo horns, ceramics, stone and clay tools, and fish scales.

Purpose. The article describes the peculiarities of chronology and morphology of the saber of the Qing Dynasty. Additionally, it analyzes the design, system and techniques of decoration, as well as the materials used for the manufacture of the scabbard.
Results. The total length of the saber is 88 cm including the length of the blade 70.8 cm. When in the scabbard, the length is 101.8 cm. The blade is made of Damascus steel in 18^th century and the fittings of the hilt and scabbard are made of cooper alloy using the punch technique. Their surface is decorated with elaborated ornament representing playing human figures and clouds. The total style of fittings is fangshi but the material and technique applied are not characteristic for the genuine fittings of Qing 18^th century sabers, they were obviously made in the end of Qing period imitating the high-Qing style. In general, the saber has the blade of Damascus steel made in 18^th century mounted into the copper alloy fittings in fangshi style made in the late 19^th – early 20^th century.
Conclusion. The saber is a rare survived sample of the high-quality blade made in 18th century with almost intact geometry, and fittings interesting in respect of techniques used and the plot of ornamentation, made in late 19^th – early 20^th century. As the piece of high-Qing period blade it could be regarded as the interesting sample of the art of highQing era swordsmiths and decorative art of the end of the imperial period in respect of fittings. Putting this saber into the scholar circulation gives the valuable material to the researchers for attribution of Qing edged weapons in museum and private collections.

The results of the analysis of materials are presented, showing the dynamics of the structures of the Albazin fort from the first acquaintance of E. P. Khabarov with the little town of the Daurian prince Albaza in 1650 to the signing of the Treaty of Nerchinsk in 1689, according to which it had to be destroyed. It was found out that it was the “residence” of Russian explorers until 1672, when N. Chernigovsky built a small new fort on it. In the 1680s, it was completely in cluded in the perimeter of the large wooden fortress of A. Tolbuzin, which was burned by the Manzhu’s in 1685. The last fort was made of wood and earth, so it withstood the long Manzhu’s siege of 1686. Currently, a full-size copy of the wooden fort is installed near the city of Blagoveshchensk.

Introduction. The purpose of the study is to develop a chronology of the existence of pottery of the Russian population of Western Siberia in Modern times. The task is to identify and analyze chronologically significant signs of pottery from archaeological complexes of Modern times. The processing of dated archaeological complexes containing ceramic material served as the basis for determining the chronology of pottery. To build a chronological scale of Russian ceramics of Modern times, a technical and technological analysis of ceramics from urban monuments: Mangazeya, Tobolsk. The definition of ceramic production technology was based on the historical and cultural approach of ceramics research proposed by A. A. Bobrinsky. The analysis of ceramic manufacturing technology includes the following sections: the study of the composition of the molding masses, the method of constructing the vessel, methods of surface treatment, firing.
Results. Ceramics from the layers of the Tarsk fortress of the 17^th and 18^th centuries are analyzed. The most common recipes for clay paste are the following: clay + sand, clay + chamotte, clay + organic. Most of the dishes are made on a circle or by sculptural modeling with modification on a circle and fired in a reducing medium. The ceramics of the Tobolsk Kremlin are made of clay paste consisting of clay, sand of different sizes and concentrations, clay and organic, clay +stone. It is made by sculptural modeling with modification on a circle, fired in a reducing medium. Typical for Mangazei ceramics are admixtures of sand, chamotte, dry clay and organic. The dishes were made sculptural by tape with a hand-made potter’s wheel.
Conclusion. Three chronological periods were revealed. The predominance in the first quarter of the 17^th century of polished tableware, in the third quarter of the 17^th century of ceramics made entirely on a potter’s wheel, an increase in the variability of additional surface treatment. The 18^th century was characterized by a greater variety of ornamented and glazed ceramics, and a new shape named “krynka” appeared. The morphological features of the profiling of the corollas of pots during the selected periods are revealed. Further analysis of ceramics from reliably dated archaeological complexes will allow us to create detailed chronological scale for Russian Siberian ceramics.

Purpose. The Russian Museum of Ethnography (St. Petersburg) is today one of the largest specialized ethnographic museums in Russia. Many weapons, including traditional bows, are stored in its funds. The source base of the study was 11 traditional bows collected in the territory of the Buryats (Baikal and Transbaikalia) or interpreted as Buryat and entered the museum before the 1930s.
Results. The studied museum exhibits can be divided into two groups: compound bows and children’s toys. Compound bows (collections of Ts. Zhamtsarano, Lektsokom Zhabe, A. P. Barannikov) were damaged as a result of contact with moisture (flood in St. Petersburg in 1924) or dismantled into parts: horn plates and tendons detached, birch bark was removed, their geometry was violated. Three bows have the same wooden base, the same size of functional sections (handle, elastic shoulders, end stiffness zones), but a different set of overlays: two bows were strengthened along the front to the middle of the transition zones, one bow is additionally equipped with long end frontal overlays and side shoulder overlays. Similar morphometric parameters are observed on most objects from the museum collections of the Baikal region, are found in ancient images of bows and are associated with Buryat masters. The details of different bows are stored under the same number and cannot be used to characterize the traditional Buryat bow. Two bows are represented by children’s toys (assembled by S. I. Rudenko), one of which is additionally equipped with end stiffness zones and a double bowstring cutout.
Conclusion. The described objects have direct analogies among the Buryat bows and reflect the local original weapon tradition of the 19^th – early 20^th centuries. Such products differ from the most popular Manchurian bows in Central Asia in the proportions of functional zones and technological techniques. These products confirm the fact that the solid wood base was one of the main distinguishing features of the Buryat tradition.

The article is devoted to the analysis of the ethnic history of the Kumandin people, one of the indigenous minorities of Russia. Its content determines the analysis of ethno-historical realities, political practices and academic discourse at the intersection of which the self–consciousness of this people was formed and transformed during the 17th – 21st centuries. The main sections of the work consider the history of the ethnonym “Kumandins” as a symbol of ethnic identity, the strategies of self-determination of Kumandins at different stages of their existence and the peculiarities of the social movement. A special section is devoted to the state support of the Kumandin public movement and its legal support. The work was carried out with the involvement of statistics, regulatory documents and field materials. According to the study results, it is concluded that the modern social movement of the Kumandin people, as well as the indigenous peoples of Russia in general, despite all the difficulties, is developing considering domestic and global political and legal support. Public organizations of Kumandin residents of the Altai Territory and the Altai Republic plan their activities in cooperation with federal and regional government agencies and academic centers. The effectiveness of this multi-level dialogue, which social activists conduct on behalf of the people, determines the prospects for its existence.