Archaeological sites are immovable mute witnesses of past eras. They reflect the activities of a person who lived in those times when this or that historical object was built. Scientists divide all the monuments into groups depending on what the building was intended for.
Types of archaeological sites
It is immediately necessary to make a reservation - the classification is conditional. In various sources, the classifications are compiled for various reasons and can differ significantly from each other.
- Funeral monuments include barrows, soil burial grounds, necropolises, cenotaphs, memorial complexes and many other structures. The listed archaeological sites have many varieties. By studying them, scientists are able to restore the traditions of peoples, their beliefs. I must say that the mounds, which are the burial place of people, are the most common archaeological sites in Russia, especially in its steppe and forest-steppe regions.
- Settlement monuments, such as hillforts, parking lots, caves, production workshops, mines, roads, water supply systems reflect the everyday life of a person and carry valuable information about the way of life of people of a certain era. Descriptions of people's dwellings obtained from excavations are sometimes very different from each other. The arrangement of the places where a person lived depended on the length of his stay in a given place, his main type of activity, membership in a particular estate, and many other factors.
- Religious monuments give an idea of the rituals performed in temples, shrines and other places revered by man. To this type of monuments can be attributed stone sculptures that exist in all corners of the planet. Sometimes they were an integral part of memorial complexes, but in some cases they performed an independent role in the performance of certain rites.
- Monuments of primitive art are cave paintings, graphics, sculpture. These types of archaeological sites are found on all continents of the planet. They differ only in content, method of implementation. And it depended on the era of the creation of drawings, the place of residence of a person, his spiritual culture. A distinctive feature of monuments of this type is that they are located on the surface of the earth, and special work related to their discovery is not necessary.
- Cave monuments are of great historical value. This is due to the fact that people have been using caves for quite a long time as a dwelling or shelter from dangers. Then cult rituals began to be held in them. Monuments found in caves carry rich information about human life in the deep past.
- A special group of monuments includes random finds, sunken ships, cities, treasures, and other objects. According to them, you can also restore the historical past of people.
Traces of the activity of a person who lived dozens, hundreds and thousands of years ago objectively exist, this is an indisputable fact. Some of these archaeological sites are well known to scientists, the general public, they are used by modern man for specific purposes. Humanity has yet to learn about other artifacts. In this regard, the types of archaeological sites are divided into known and unknown. The first type of monuments is studied, protected by the law of the state where it is located, and thereby is protected to some extent from destruction. Humanity still does not know anything about the second type of monuments that probably exist, as long as they are hidden from us.
The era of primitive man
Archaeological sites of the primitive era indicate that a person’s life mainly depended on the climatic conditions in which he lived. So, for example, about 35-40 thousand years ago, a significant part of the territory of the modern European part of Russia was in the glacier advance zone.
The main type of human activity during this period was hunting, since a huge number of animals were found in the adjacent zone and to the south of it. They gave not only clothes and food, but also shelter. Historians have found the remains of dwellings where the pillars, the foundations of buildings, their frames are made of bones of large animals. Mammoths, deer, cave lions, woolly rhinos and many other species of animals were hunted by an ancient man.
During the construction of the dwelling, it was necessary to securely fasten the bones to each other, for this they had to make holes and grooves in them. Such structures were covered with warm animal skins. Most often, the dwellings were round in shape, with a conical roof.
Burials of people have also been found - the most valuable archaeological sites of the primitive era. Findings indicate that stone and animal bones were the main materials from which the tools, weapons and jewelry of ancient people were made. With changing climatic conditions, the animal and plant worlds, as well as the types of human activities, have changed. Their main habitats were river floodplains, coastal areas of water bodies. It is here that scientists constantly find archaeological sites that help to study the lifestyle of primitive man.
But in order to get a complete picture of human evolution, scientists have to study a large amount of historical material. With proper excavation, historians very often find archaeological sites belonging to different eras of the development of human life at the place of work. It is such findings for scientists that are most valuable.
Stone Age
Archaeological sites of the Stone Age allow us to conclude that by the end of this period people already occupied large territories, and their habitats were located in different corners of the Earth. The resettlement of people is associated with climate warming, retreat of the glacier. The flora and fauna has changed - coniferous forests populated by different species of animals have appeared. A large number of small and large reservoirs where fish were found gave an impetus to the development of fishing. And hunting for forest animals was already different from what it was before. Tools and weapons found in places of residence of people, although it was made of stone, but had more advanced forms and methods of processing the material.
Archaeological sites of the Stone Age also indicate that people have the beginnings of a religious culture, certain types of art. The social way of life is changing. Archaeological sites of the Stone Age of Russia are found practically on the territory of the whole country. The most studied monuments found in the territory of modern Kaliningrad, Moscow, Kaluga, Tver regions, Ussuri Territory and some other places.
A guide to the past
For the convenience of scientists and making a certain order in this field of activity, all archaeological monuments of the world are registered and included in a special list. The index indicates the belonging of the find to a particular era. In addition, it indicates the types of archaeological sites, provides a description of them with a list of the main finds. The degree of destruction at the time of discovery of a historical object is determined. For scientists, it is very important to indicate the exact location of the monument.
In such indexes you can find information about in which collections and museums of the world the objects found at the excavation sites are stored. Any interested person has the opportunity to get acquainted with the list of literature, which gives the most complete and reliable description of archaeological sites, the history of its discovery, the progress of work related to excavations. It can be literary, archival, scientific sources.
An excellent addition to the reference list are archaeological maps, which, among other things, allow you to see which places on Earth have been little studied by historians.
Excavation guides are available in each individual country. Archaeological sites on the territory of Russia are also included in a special list, which is edited as new information is provided by scientists.
Archaeological sites of Russia
Archaeological finds in Russia are not uncommon. Many of them are of global importance, forcing scientists to change the prevailing idea of the development and existence of various civilizations.
So, for example, in Khakassia, in the valley of White Yus, in 1982 an ancient sanctuary was opened. The structure discovered here resembled an observatory. After studying the find, archaeologists came to the conclusion that even during the Bronze Age, people who lived on the territory of modern Siberia knew how to use the calendar and determine the time with amazing accuracy.
Even more surprising is the find in the region of Achinsk. Mammoth bone wand with a peculiar pattern applied to it for at least 18 thousand years. Scientists are sure that this subject is also a kind of lunar-solar calendar. From this we can assume the existence of even more ancient civilizations than the Sumerian, Egyptian, Hindu, Persian, Chinese.
In the upper Yenisei, in Altai, there is the Arzhan mound, known among archaeologists. It is interesting that the rules of its construction and arrangement coincide with those on which funerary structures were built in other regions and at other times.
On the territory of Central Asia, in the southern parts of Siberia, the Caucasus, and Crimea, archaeologists discovered the remains of irrigation systems, roads, and metal smelting sites.
Archaeological sites of Russia are located throughout the state. Siberia, the Far East, the European part of the country, the Urals, the Caucasus, Altai - those regions where unique historical finds were discovered. Excavations are ongoing in many of these areas today.
The territory of the ancient Urals
The archaeological sites of the Urals can rightfully be called famous. Historians spoke of the existence of ancient settlements in these places several centuries ago. But only in 1987, a special expedition found the fortified settlement of Arkaim. It is located in the Southern Urals, between the upper reaches of the Tobol and Ural rivers.
The expedition was appointed due to the planning of the construction of a large reservoir in these places. The detachment of archaeologists consisted of two scientists, several students and schoolchildren. None of the leaders and members of the expedition even suspected the existence of a unique historical monument in the steppe regions of the Ural region. Characteristic landforms were spotted by chance.
Around the ancient settlement, scientists discovered 21 more ancient settlements, which indicates the existence of a peculiar country of cities. In addition, this find once again proves that the archaeological sites of the Urals are truly unique.
In the same places, scientists found settlements of people who lived here 8-9 thousand years ago. Among other finds, the remains of pets were found. This suggests that even then a man was engaged in their breeding.
The only sad thing is that the excavations were carried out carelessly, in violation of generally accepted norms and rules. For this reason, part of the ancient settlement is destroyed. Such an attitude to history can be qualified as a crime. The protection of archaeological sites should be carried out at the state level.
The story of the find of Arkaim was continued. According to the construction plan of the reservoir, the entire territory where the historical monument is located was supposed to go under water. However, thanks to the active work of some members of the public and scientists, a unique object was defended.
In 1992, the entire area on which Arkaim is located, went to the Ilmensky State Reserve, becoming its branch. To date, a complete study of the monument. For this, not only the excavation method was used, but also other modern scientific methods for studying the material.
The remains of humans and animals have been discovered at the site of the architectural monument. It became known that even then horses were used as a means of transportation for humans. Discovered harness, tools used for its manufacture.
Pottery and earthenware are another evidence that speaks of a new level of craft development. Arrowheads, metal parts of tools indicate this.
What may seem most surprising to a modern person is that a sewage system and a water supply system were discovered in the ancient city.
Samara and its distant past
Archaeological sites of the Samara region are unusually diverse in type and affiliation of a particular era. This is because the territory of modern Samara was inhabited by people as early as 100 thousand years ago. Man was attracted by favorable natural conditions, which are characteristic of the steppe and forest-steppe zone.
Today, scientists know about two thousand of the most ancient monuments that were discovered in the region. Some of them exist today, others have disappeared due to the influence of natural forces on them or as a result of human economic activity. There are many monuments whose existence is known, but archaeological work to study them has not yet begun. In addition, it must be remembered that the excavation of the monument will sooner or later lead to its destruction. This happens both at the time of the work and after its completion, when the oldest structures become exposed to the external environment. Therefore, the decision on the need for excavation should be balanced and deliberate.
Archaeological sites of the Samara region include the sites of an ancient man, villages and settlements, which were built by people in later eras. Mines, mines where minerals were extracted for the production of tools and military armor, are also valuable sources of information about the economic activities of our ancestors.
Mound and non-mound burial grounds are different types of archaeological sites. They are also in large numbers on the territory of Samara. Thanks to the finds contained in the burial grounds, the appearance of the person who lived here was restored, the type of his activity was revealed, the level of development of culture and art was studied. Scientists even managed to establish the belonging of people to a certain nationality.
The rich historical past of Kazakhstan
Archaeological sites of Kazakhstan are also a source of rich information about the resettlement of people in the country. Given the fact that in ancient times there was no written language, the monuments can be considered almost the only evidence of the past.
One of the most famous memorial complexes - Besshatyr barrow - is located on the territory of modern Kazakhstan. The construction is striking in its scope - it includes 31 burial grounds. The diameter of the largest of them is 104 meters and a height of 17 meters. Similar structures are available in other parts of the country.
Sak tribes
The peoples belonging to the eastern branch of the Scythian nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes received the collective name - Saki. In the first millennium BC, they inhabited the modern territories of Central Asia, Kazakhstan, the southern regions of Siberia, the coast of the Aral Sea.
Archaeological sites of the Saks revealed to their descendants their way of life, the development of the level of culture, tradition. Grave mounds are concentrated mainly in places of winter camps of tribes. These are the places that the Saks especially treasured.
Excavations carried out in different habitats of the peoples led to the conclusion that the main economic activity of the Saka peoples was nomadic, semi-nomadic and sedentary cattle breeding. Tribes raised sheep, camels, horses. From the materials obtained during the excavation, it was even possible to establish which breeds of animals bred saki.
In addition, it was established that the peoples belonging to the tribes were divided into categories - priests, warriors, and community members. From among the soldiers a king was chosen, who was the ruler of the tribes, united in alliances.
Among the most significant Saka archaeological sites for science are such as the burial grounds of Issyk, Uygarak, and Tegisken. Beshatyrsky and Chiliktinsky mounds are known far beyond the borders of Kazakhstan, Russia and the CIS countries.
During the excavations of the Issyk barrow, the remains of a man were found, with whom in the grave chamber there was rich equipment and many other household items. Among them, scientists counted about four thousand gold products. This, most likely, indicates the high position of the person who was resting here, and that people believed in the existence of the afterlife.
