Antiquities of the Novgorod land: electronic database of archaeological finds. Staraya Russa: archaeological research of the medieval city Staraya Russa archaeological excavations

And here is our report that we presented at the Novgorod conference. 12 pages of text, 17 minutes of airtime and 60 slides. In general, it turned out to be, as they say now, a longread (or whatever it is called). But everything is told here.
So, let's begin. (slides enlarge by click)

In 2015, an expedition from Novgorod University continued traditional excavations in Staraya Russa, and also carried out exploratory research in areas of the region.

In July-August, work continued at the Pyatnitsky-II excavation site in Staraya Russa.

This excavation was founded in 2013 to the south of Pyatnitsky-I. One of the goals was to connect the studied area with the area of excavation X, research on which was carried out by Alexander Filippovich Medvedev and Galina Pavlovna Smirnova in 1969-1970. This would make it possible to harmonize the stratigraphy and construction horizons in the historical core of Rusa over an area of approximately 500 square meters. m. Which is doubly important due to the fact that the striking finds and complexes discovered at excavation site X were dated at that time almost exclusively by artifacts and ceramics.

The upcoming work on synchronizing the complexes of excavation X with the materials from the Pyatnitsky excavations will allow us to verify at the modern level (and using dendrochronology) the conclusions made by our predecessors.

This is what the excavation looks like at the beginning of the season.

And this is already in the middle -

Work at the excavation site this season was hampered by two circumstances: prolonged heavy rains, as well as the need to clear numerous structures, pavements and stones that covered most of the excavation area (and funds were quite limited).

The work was carried out in layers 10 and 11. The total thickness of the strata studied in 2013-2015 was 2-2.5 m

The main filling of the layers in the southern part of the excavation consisted of layers of manure mixed with grass. In the northern part, layers of sertez fires were identified, in which structures of tiers III and IV were destroyed.
In the central part of the excavation, the bottom part of the pit of the New Age glacier cellar was finally further explored. There is also a dig for a well from the late 19th century, interrupting medieval structures. In the southwestern corner of the excavation, the corner of the backfilled excavation X continued to be recorded.
The level of the ancient surface was traced for the building horizon of the 1370-1380s: within the excavation, a slope in the southern direction of up to 20-30 cm was recorded.

In the 2015 field season, the remains of 22 different structures were discovered or further explored at the Pyatnitsky-II excavation site. The study of 7 buildings that were opened in previous seasons continued.
Another 15 buildings of the second half of the 14th - 15th centuries. discovered during the dismantling of the cultural layer.
The complex of 8 residential, utility and industrial buildings, as well as 3 intra-estate pavements, classified as tier III (early 1370s - late 1380s), deserves special attention. It represents a synchronous horizon of the development of the estate “B”, which allows us to almost completely study the planigraphy of the estate.

Stage III was first identified ten years ago, back at the Pyatnitsky-I excavation site in 2004-2005. based on the younger dendrodates of the PS-5 log house and the line of the inter-estate palisade (1373). We began studying it at the Pyatnitsky-II excavation site in 2014.

In 2015, the PS-48 log house and pavement No. 3 were further examined; in addition, 5 log buildings, an industrial furnace, a pillar structure, 2 pavements, and a pillar fence were opened and studied.
The orientation of the development is related to the direction of the street, the deck of which is likely to be located immediately to the west of the site. Judging by the line of the inter-estate palisade identified on the territory of the Pyatnitsky-I excavation site, the northern border of the estate runs directly behind the wall of the Pyatnitsky-II excavation site. In the southwestern corner of the excavation, in its western wall, the remains of a palisade line bordering the study area from the west continued to be recorded. This line of the palisade was also recorded in excavation X.

A combination of plans shows that outside the Pyatnitsky-II excavation site, the palisade continues for approximately 2 m in the south-southeast direction, and then turns at a right angle to the east-east (for 2.8 m) and ends with a rope marking the gate and entrance to the estate.

Due to the fact that the northern, western and southern borders of the estate “B” partially fell into the studied area, its configuration (trapezoidal in plan) and area (about 500 sq. m. - dimensions 25 x > 16 m) can be approximately determined ).

On the territory of the estate at the level of this tier, an unusual building structure was recorded. Wooden structures (8 residential, utility and industrial buildings, as well as 3 pillar structures) were located along the perimeter of the estate. The central part is largely paved with floorings made of poles and blocks. The entrance to the estate, judging by the path marked on the area of excavation X, was from the south.

Tier III structures:
Large residential building(four-walled frame house PS-5) was located in the northwestern corner of the estate. The design of the furnace, which had a brick hearth, seems typical. The construction of the log house is dated 1373.
To the east of the residential building there was pole structure(PS-49), traced along pillars with characteristic grooves intended for inserting horizontal boards or blocks.
Even further east, along the northern border of the estate, was located four-walled log house(PS-50) with internal dimensions of approximately 3.5 x 3.5 m. The lower crowns of the walls and the remains of the flooring have been preserved.

Of interest is the design of a large, apparently industrial ovens- a large rectangular (2.5 x 1.5 m) five-walled log box filled with calcined stones. The upper horizon of stones, coated and smoothed with clay, forms a smooth, even sintered surface, which represents a furnace. Judging by the specific design and ethnographic analogies, this is probably a blacksmith's forge.

This interpretation is confirmed by a large number of fragments of iron slag identified in the filling of the frame and to the west of it, as well as by an admixture of iron particles that gave the strata a specific rusty color. In the immediate vicinity to the west of the structure, iron bits, fragments of a spear, a pink salmon scythe, an iron dart, and also an ax blade were found. A higher density of tsren fragments and rivets was also noted here compared to the rest of the territory (27 units, i.e. 1/3 of the total number found). Apparently, the entrance to the building was in the central part of the southern wall - it is marked by a cluster of stones forming a paving between the frame and the wooden pavement.

Even further east, in the NE corner of the excavation site and the estate, there was pole structure(PS-58) - a light outbuilding adjacent to the east of the forge.

To the south the western part of another four-walled log house(PS-52). From it, 1-2 crowns of walls and a charred plank flooring have been preserved.

Another log house (PS-54) was closely adjacent to it from the south.

Two crowns of very carelessly chopped walls and a flooring made of poles have been preserved. The filling of the log house under the layer of destruction is represented by manure mixed with grass, which has clogged up in the cracks of the flooring. Most likely this is a structure for housing livestock.

The remains of a large timber structure (internal dimensions within the excavation are 4.8 x 2.2 m) were examined in the SE corner of the excavation. The logs of two crowns of the walls have been preserved. The filling of the log house is represented by a layer of manure. A possible interpretation is a building for housing livestock.

To the north of the PS-55 log house, a pavement was observed.

Its southern part, adjacent to the frame, was dismantled in ancient times, and the northern part will be further explored next year.

In the SE corner of the excavation (and the estate) the remains of a small charred oak frame filled with calcined clay and burnt bricks were recorded.

Apparently, this structure should be interpreted as a log house for a large furnace, cut off by the pit of excavation X.

The identification of this structure made it possible to combine the planigraphy of Pyatnitsky-II excavation with materials from excavation X. This structure can be confidently compared with the “furnace log house No. 1” attributed to A.F. Medvedev and G.P. Smirnova to tiers 7-8 (three charred oak crowns of the walls, a brick under the stove and a charred wooden flooring lying under it were recorded). Dimensions 1.6 x 2.5 m.

From the west and south, the frame is outlined by a palisade (which was perceived by A.F. Medvedev as the walls of the structure, which is somewhat contradicted by the verey adjacent to the palisade), from the east - by a pillared fence structure. Perhaps in front of us is an industrial complex located in the southwestern corner of the estate. Hypothetical interpretation of A.F. Medvedeva - salt varnish (from the nearest squares in 2015 there were 16 fragments and rivets of tsren).
A pavement about 3 m wide made of aspen poles led to the production furnace from the log house located to the north. From the east, this pavement and the frame of the industrial furnace were fenced with a pillar fence, traced on the basis of 3 pillars (one of which was recorded in excavation No. 10) and a dam made of boards and blocks placed on edge. The total length of the structure is 7.2 m.

To the north of the pavement, the remains of a four-walled frame structure (PS-51) extending into the western wall were discovered (dimensions within the excavation - 3.3 x 3 m).

The log house, which in all likelihood was a residential building, existed for a fairly long period of time - throughout tiers III-IV. From it the remains of 4 crowns and two flooring horizons have been preserved.

The death of this structure in a fire (together with the rest of the buildings of tier III) is marked by lenses of ash and coal. In their thickness, the collapse of calcined furnace stones, numbering several horizons, was revealed.

The complex of finds includes fragments of an amphora, three amber beads, and a fragment of mica. It should be noted that in the strata associated with the destruction of the log house, a blank of a hanging lead seal was found.

Adjoining it from the north was another four-walled log house (PS-48) - probably a utility structure. The lower crowns of the walls and improvised steps have been preserved from it. One of them was a large inverted split trough 1.7 m long.

The central part of the estate was paved. On an area of 12 x 8-12 m there is a pavement made of poles, boards and blocks laid in different areas in different directions. It is characteristic that on most of such a spacious pavement, its flooring is laid directly on the ground, without pads.

In the northern part of the excavation, under the buildings of tier III, the remains of buildings of the previous tier IV (1360s - early 1370s) were recorded. This horizon includes:
- remains of the southern part of the log house PS-8 (the main part of the structure was explored in 2005-2006 at the Pyatnitsky-I excavation site, the youngest part of the dendrodate is 1366). In 2015, fragments of charred logs from the eastern and southern walls of the structure, as well as foundation structures - linings and pillars-"chairs" - were uncovered. The total area of the structure is more than 45 square meters. m;
- first stage of existence log house of a residential building PS-51, which was already mentioned above.
- log house(PS-56) exposed at the base of the studied strata in the NE corner of the estate. The logs of the lower crown of the southern and western walls, details of the flooring, as well as the collapse of the stones of the heating device have been preserved from the structure;
- picket line, bordering estate “B” from the north.

Speaking about the characteristics of the estate under study, it should be noted the density of finds in the cultural layer. Firstly, a significant amount of mass material (10.5 thousand fragments of ceramics were recorded), despite the fact that the strata of a rather short period were studied. This can apparently be explained by the high intensity of life. Secondly, a relatively small proportion of finds made from inorganic materials is specific - objects made of leather and wood predominate. Thirdly, the number of fragments of tsren - iron pans for boiling salt - has increased 4 times. In the overlying layers, let me remind you, they were quite few in number.

Now let's move on to the finds.

The collection of finds at the Pyatnitsky excavation site in the 2015 season includes 1,688 items.
Among them, leather goods predominate, making up more than half of all finds.

First of all, these are the complete shapes and details of shoes (boots predominate).
Noteworthy is the discovery of shoes of Western European cut (this is the second such find at the Pyatnitsky-II excavation site).

The collection also includes mittens, sheaths, balls, cases, and thimbles.

Of considerable interest is the trimmed edge of a leather sheet with a preserved inscription of 4 letters: "FATI...", probably part of the owner's inscription - FATI<АНА>.

The next largest group of finds (18% of the total, 308 items) are wood products. Pegs for stringed musical instruments (4 units) and an item previously identified as a bagpipe part. If this is so, then this is the first discovery of such a musical instrument on the territory of medieval Rus'.

Weaving machine parts -

Trough -

Three specific wood pieces with dowels found in reclaimed wood.

For now, their purpose remains a mystery.

Other wooden finds -

There are relatively few ferrous metal products.

Finds made of non-ferrous metal are even less numerous. Of greatest interest are the blanks of a hanging lead seal. There are rings (10 units), overlays (6 units) and buttons (4 units).

Textile products are represented primarily by fragments of various fabrics. Of particular interest are several samples of burgundy-dyed cloth (probably Western European) -

And also 3 fragments of silk -

Bone products -

Glass beads are few in number, but amber beads are well represented -

Ceramics -

Thus, the strata studied at the Pyatnitsky-II excavation site in 2015 date back to the second half of XIV - early XV centuries. Research will continue (well, unless some cataclysm interferes...) in the future field season.

Based on the results of the field season (and in connection with the anniversary), an exhibition of archaeological finds from 2012-2015 was held at the Staraya Russian Museum of Local Lore. "A look into the past. The thousand-year history of Staraya Russa in archaeological finds.”

But we did not limit ourselves to the Pyatnitsky excavation site alone. Archaeological exploration was carried out in the Novgorod, Shimsky, Poddorsky, Okulovsky, Borovichsky, Demyansky, Lyubytinsky, Khvoininsky, Pestovsky districts of the Novgorod region.

They stuck pins all over the map.

Among other things, exploration work was carried out on the former territory of the Anthony Monastery in Veliky Novgorod.

The cultural layer in the northern part of the former monastic territory was identified by S.N. Orlov in the early 1970s. and contacted the “Volkhov village” that preceded the monastery. In 1973-1974 he carried out extensive (but remained unpublished) excavations, and in subsequent years - numerous observations. During research in 2015 (5 pits), we were able to clarify the data regarding the distribution and thickness of cultural strata in the territory of the former monastery garden.

The cultural layer has a thickness of 50 to 130 cm. The results of the study in a number of cases contradict the conclusions of S.N. Orlov, set out in a single publication:
- in the northeastern part of the monument’s territory, where S.N. Orlov notes the main deposits of the “village of ore makers and jewelers,” only a weakly expressed cultural layer was recorded, apparently belonging to the peripheral part of the settlement of the 12th-17th centuries;

To the east of the “new building” of the Humanitarian Institute, in the zone where S.N. Orlov did not record cultural deposits, on the contrary, strata were identified that had a high density of ceramics and dated to the 13th-18th centuries;

The greatest intensity of cultural deposits, as one would expect, was found in the southern part, at the junction with the historical territory of the monastery ensemble. Here lie stratified cultural layers of the 12th-17th centuries, apparently marking the residential zone of the settlement and containing a large number of ceramic fragments.

A large exploration project was carried out by a team of our expedition in August-September 2015. We are talking about examining the route of a fiber-optic line, which crosses the Pestovsky, Khvoininsky, Lyubytinsky districts for 242 km.

As a result, it was established that along most of the route, archaeological heritage sites do not fall within the construction zone.
The only problem area was the territory of the long-suffering settlement near the village of Belkovo, Khvoininsky district, which had already been repeatedly damaged during the laying of oil pipelines. At the time of the inspection, it turned out that the work on laying the route in this area had already been partially completed without coordination with the state authorities for the protection of cultural heritage (SantTransStroy LLC (Samara)), which led to damage to the monument.

The cable laying furrow itself (trench width 0.3 m, depth 1.2 m) did not cause major damage, but in the coastal part a half-filled pit of horizontal directional drilling was noted (dimensions 4.6 x 1.5-1.8 m and depth of at least 1.5 m). ]The excavation wall was cleaned (which made it possible to record statography) and the dump was rebuilt.

Information about the location of the archaeological monument “Belkovo, Settlement I” on the planned route was communicated to the state authority for the protection of monuments and the designers. The project has been adjusted: it will not cause further damage, because... does not provide for excavation work on the territory of the monument.

A lot of time and effort in the spring and summer was spent on stopping the destruction of the archaeological complex near the villages of Zaruchevye and Bor in the Okulovsky district, which was being destroyed by a quarry for the construction of the M-11 highway. Quarry development is carried out by Almaz LLC.

Despite all efforts, it has still not been possible to stop the destruction of the monument.

In this regard, some bewilderment is caused by the position of the state body for the protection of monuments, which agreed on the sections on ensuring safety developed by the notorious GAMAS LLC, despite serious criticism of their quality and reliability. According to the situation at the beginning of autumn, one newly discovered object and part of the long-known settlement of Zaruchevye IV, VIII were destroyed, and damage was also caused to a group of hills and a ground burial ground.

These are our results for the year.

Report materials used Toropova E.V., Toropov S.E., Samoilov K.G., Kolosnitsyn P.P., Kolosnitsyna E.E. Field research in 2015 in the city of Staraya Russa and the Novgorod region, read on January 26 at the XXX scientific conference “Novgorod and Novgorod land. History and Archeology" (provided by the authors).

Archaeological monuments of the Novgorod land are a unique source of knowledge about the past of the region, which became the birthplace of Russian statehood.

Project “Antiquities of the Novgorod Land: electronic database of archaeological finds” aimed at creating and developing a unified information resource of artifacts obtained during archaeological excavations of ancient and medieval monuments of the Novgorod land. The database contains digital images of finds and the most complete information about each item and provides remote access for researchers.

The basis of the project is the archaeological collection obtained during the work Center for Archaeological Research of NovSU(previously - the educational and scientific laboratory "Old Russian Archaeological Expedition" of NovSU, Department for the Study of Problems of Archeology of the Novgorod Land of NovSU) since 1999 and numbering about 40 thousand items, comprehensively characterizing the material culture of Staraya Russa and other archaeological monuments of the Novgorod land, from the Stone Age to the present day. Research at the Pyatnitsky-II excavation site in Staraya Russa is carried out with the support of Russian Foundation for Basic Research (in 2018 - project № 18-09-00375) . The study of the historical center of Staraya Russa in the Middle Ages based on archaeological research materials is carried out with the support of Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project No. 17-01-00180-OGN).

The first version of the electronic database was developed in 2006 by A. A. Kalinin and was located on the laboratory’s local server. In 2011, specialists created a new version of the database, providing the ability to work via the Internet. Currently, the database is hosted on the NovSU server cluster.

The full version of the database is currently open for viewing (materials from the work of the NovSU archaeological expedition in Staraya Russa and in the Novgorod region from 2002 to 2017).

In the "Scientific Reports" section, field reports on the results of work in 2002-2015 are posted.

You can send your questions, suggestions and comments on the database to the head of the laboratory "Old Russian Archaeological Expedition":.

copyright

Research at the Pyatnitsky-II excavation site in Staraya Russa is carried out with the support ofRussian Foundation for Basic Research (in 2018-2019 - project 18-09-00375 “City estate of medieval Rusa: stratigraphy, topography and material culture (based on the latest archaeological research)”) . Materials from the Pyatnitsky-I excavation for 2002-2004. and excavation X for 1969-1970. entered into the database with the support Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project 17‑01‑00180‑OGN “Historical center of Staraya Russa in the Middle Ages based on archaeological research materials” ).

Republishing texts, photographs and other information is possible only with the permission of the authors and with a link to the resource “”:

Antiquities of the Novgorod Land: electronic database of archaeological finds [Electronic resource] // Novgorod State University named after Yaroslav the Wise: website. URL:

Center for Archaeological Research, NovSU, 2017; Department for studying the problems of archeology of the Novgorod land of Novgorod State University, 2011-2017; CNIT NovSU, 2011-2017; E.V. Toropova, S.E. Toropov, K.G. Samoilov, P.P. Kolosnitsyn, E.E. Kolosnitsyna, 2011-2017. Certificate of state registration of the database No. 2013620270.

scientific co-workers Department for studying the problems of archeology of the Novgorod land at the REC IGUM NovSU, head. Museum of Archeology of NovSU, author of the blog about archeology starcheolog in LiveJournal
“Trinity Option” No. 15 (234), August 1, 2017

Staraya Russa (until the 16th century - Rusa) is located south of Lake Ilmen in the modern Novgorod region. Founded at the turn of the 10th and 11th centuries, it was for a long time the second largest city in the Novgorod land. Now Staraya Russa, among other things, is the most important and interesting archaeological site. Its research is carried out by the Old Russian Archaeological Expedition of the Novgorod State University named after Yaroslav the Wise (NovSU) under the leadership of E. V. Toropova. This year, archaeologists are working in two directions.

The first is the continuation of systematic research at the Pyatnitsky excavation site, which has been ongoing since 2002 and is supported by the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project 17-01-18035e). The excavation site is located in the historical center of the city, near mineral springs, on the territory of the historical core of Rusa. The total thickness of the cultural layer deposited in the 11th–20th centuries in this area reaches 6 m. In it, as, in particular, in the Veliky Novgorod layer, organic matter is perfectly preserved: wood, leather, bone, fabric, etc.

The remains of the buildings make it possible to reconstruct the layout of the estate that fell within the excavation, and many artifacts tell about the material culture of the medieval city.

In the 2017 season, excavations are taking place in layers of the first half - mid-14th century. The estate under study has a layout atypical for that time: residential and industrial premises are located around the perimeter, and numerous floorings are located in the central part.

The number of finds is in the hundreds. These are leather shoes, ceramic and wooden dishes, tools, household items, jewelry and much more.

The most striking finds of this season are a birch bark letter and bone seals.

The charter is a fragment of a document, of which three lines have survived, while the entire line is one, the middle one. Only two letters from the top survived, and about half of the bottom. The text reports a certain period or period of time, measured from Elijah's day (July 20 according to the Julian calendar) to the Great Day - Easter. It would seem that there is not a lot of information, but the mention of church holidays in correspondence or documents is important, adding to the linguistic, grammatical, paleographic and other scientific collections.

No less important is the discovery in the 14th century layer of three applied seals for impressions on wax. They are shaped like pawns with holes for hanging on a string. But the “sole” has images carved into it. One depicts an anthropomorphic figure: either an angel with wings, or a man holding something in his hands.

On the second there is a carved animal. Similar images are found on jewelry of the 14th–15th centuries, and at the end of independence, the “fierce beast” was depicted on the lead seals of Veliky Novgorod.

The second direction of research is rescue archaeological work during the large-scale reconstruction of Cathedral Square and the improvement of the central streets of Staraya Russa.

Excavations have shown that before the appearance of the square, in the 15th - first half of the 18th century, there were estates and streets paved with wood. Due to the fact that the cultural layer preserves organic matter, many objects made of leather and wood were found. Especially a lot of leather shoes. Among the striking finds are a hanging lead seal of the sovereign governor, a mother-of-pearl pectoral cross of the 16th century (the closest analogue of which was found in Latvia, among the remains of a Russian warrior who died during the siege of Cesis Castle in the Livonian War), a spear tip of the 17th–18th centuries, jewelry and much more .

One of the finds - a whistle from layers of the 17th-18th centuries - has already become famous, but this fame is largely accidental. Posting the photo on a blog and in the VKontakte group, archaeologists joked, calling it a dinosaur. Journalists picked it up, and within a day the “dinosaur from Staraya Russa” was known throughout Russia. In fact, the whistle with a melodic sound is most likely a stylized image of a turtle dove.

Despite the abundance of finds, the season is not over yet and will bring many discoveries that you can follow in

Placement in the RusArch library: 2006

E.V. Toropova, Ya.V. Antropova

Staraya Russa:

archaeological research of a medieval city

Staraya Russa (until the 16th century - Rusa) is the largest medieval center of the Novgorod land in the Southern Ilmen region (Fig. 1), which has not yet received proper assessment in historical science. Archaeological research in Staraya Russa was undertaken several times: in 1939 (headed by A.A. Strokov); in 1966-1978 (head - A.F. Medvedev); in 1985-1998 (head - V.G. Mironova). To date, more than 1500 square meters have been studied. m of cultural layer, but the materials from the excavations have not yet been actually generalized and introduced into scientific circulation.

In 1999, an archaeological expedition of the Novgorod State University named after. Yaroslav the Wise continued research at the Borisoglebsky excavation site with an area of 225 square meters. m., located in the courtyard of house No. 46/61 on Mineralnaya Street in the city of Staraya Russa.

The excavation site was founded in 1988 by an archaeological expedition of the Institute of Archeology of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Over the course of a decade, from 1988 to 1998, with breaks in 1990, as well as in 1993-1996, 3.4 m of cultural layer dating from the second half of the 12th-17th centuries was studied.

Borisoglebsky excavation. General form.

In 1999, important data were obtained reflecting various aspects of life in the medieval city in the first half of the 12th century. Three building tiers of the pavement of ancient Borisoglebskaya Street and estate development (8 structures for various purposes) to the west and east of it were studied. The collection of finds included 845 objects made of metals, wood, bone, leather and other materials. Among them, a special place is occupied by 4 birch bark documents - charters No. 33-36.

In 2000, the strata of the second half of the 11th – early 12th centuries were studied. (depth 4 - 4.8 m). The cultural layer was dark brown humus with inclusions of wood chips and various impurities. During the work, the pavement of Borisoglebskaya Street, the exit from the pavement, palisades, intra-estate pavement and 1 structure were examined.

The manor layout in the studied strata, in general, corresponds to that studied in later layers. The pavement of Borisoglebskaya Street (on the left) was still recorded in the central part of the excavation. It is oriented in a NNW-SSE direction. The street design is similar to Novgorod: flooring - logs - linings - inter-tier filling. The excavation fragmentarily included two estates: to the west of the street - estate A; to the east - estate B.

At the same time, the internal development of the estate has changed significantly. If in later strata the residential part of estate A was adjacent to the flooring of Borisoglebskaya Street, then in the layers studied in the past season, not a single residential or outbuilding was recorded.

The entrance to estate B disappears and remains were discovered in its southern part log building measuring 3.4 x 3.4 m, from the filling of which comes a very interesting complex of finds, which includes a Western European denarius and an encolpion cross.

An interesting feature of the studied layers is a larger amount of wood waste than last year, including used or broken wooden objects used to pave the dampest areas of manor yards. Apparently, this is due to the increased humidity of the studied area of the city during this period of time.

The 2000 collection includes 929 individual finds, as well as mass materials - ceramics, animal and fish bones, scraps of leather, hazelnut shells, nails, felt. Virtually all categories of objects characteristic of a medieval city are represented, made of wood, leather, bone, metal, etc.

Leather products, primarily footwear, were found in 234 pieces. They are represented by all known groups: pistons, shoes, boots. At the same time, several previously unobserved new species were noted. In addition, fragments of a sheath and a purse (or small bag) were found.

Iron objects made up the most numerous category of finds - 293 specimens. Among them there are locks, keys, a fragment of spring scissors, buckles, hooks, a comb, a sickle, an amulet hatchet, brooches and fragments of other items. Particularly noteworthy are the numerous finds of tsrens - fragments of baking trays for evaporating salt, indicating the presence of a salt-making industry.

Products made of wood, the most common material, are represented by 257 pieces. These are tools of labor - rakes, chekmari; spinning accessories - spindles; utensils – fragments of turned utensils, spoons, trough (some examples are decorated skillfully carved. There are letters on the handle of one of the spoons and on the bottom of the bowl); carved details of the interior decoration of the house. The gingerbread board and carved zoomorphic figurine .

Finds of non-ferrous metals are few in number (11 specimens). This is the already mentioned bronze encolpion cross, a serpentine amulet, a silver Western European denarius, a false-twisted ring, an overlay made of a white alloy, and a fragment of a bronze lamellar ornamented bracelet.

Bone finds include 23 specimens, including eight combs of various types, two bone handles, one of which is richly ornamented with a circular ornament, two arrowheads, etc.

During the research, a large collection was obtained tissue fragments(22 copies). It can be preliminary noted that among them there are tissues of both plant and animal origin. Some fragments show traces of cutting.

The strata studied at the Borisoglebsky excavation site in the 2000 season are tentatively dated to the second half of the 11th century.

The work was financed within the framework of the federal target program “State support for the integration of higher education and fundamental science for 1997-2000”, which has the status of a presidential program (project No. S0005), the research was also supported by the Russian Humanitarian Science Foundation (project No. 00-01-1873e ) and the Administration of Staraya Russa.

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The remains of the buildings make it possible to reconstruct the layout of the estate that fell within the excavation, and many artifacts tell about the material culture of the medieval city.

The number of finds is in the hundreds. These are leather shoes, ceramic and wooden dishes, tools, household items, jewelry and much more. The most striking finds of this season are a birch bark letter and bone seals.

The second direction of research is rescue archaeological work during the large-scale reconstruction of Cathedral Square and the improvement of the central streets of Staraya Russa.

Cathedral Square, which before the revolution was called Torgovaya, appeared quite late, at the end of the 18th century, after Catherine’s redevelopment, as a result of which the city center was moved. For two hundred years, shopping arcades and Gostiny Dvor were located here, the remains of which were also found during research. It is not surprising that among the finds there are many coins and trade seals from the 18th - early centuries. XX century. Excavations have shown that before the appearance of the square, in the 15th - first half of the 18th century, there were estates and streets paved with wood. Due to the fact that the cultural layer preserves organic matter, many objects made of leather and wood were found. Especially a lot of leather shoes. Among the striking finds are a hanging lead seal of the sovereign governor, a mother-of-pearl pectoral cross of the 16th century (the closest analogue of which was found in Latvia, among the remains of a Russian warrior who died during the siege of Cesis Castle in the Livonian War), a spear tip of the 17th–18th centuries, jewelry and much more .

Despite the abundance of finds, the season is not over yet and will bring many discoveries, which you can follow in the group “Old Russian Archaeological Expedition of NovSU” (

Antiquities of the Novgorod land: electronic database of archaeological finds. Staraya Russa: archaeological research of the medieval city Staraya Russa archaeological excavations

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Placement in the RusArch library: 2006

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