Experimental-traceological expedition in Bolgar

From 14 to 27 August, Bolgar is hosting an experimental-traceological expedition dedicated to the X Bolgar International Archaeological School. The expedition is a joint project of the Institute for the history of material culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Archaeology named after A.H. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences and continues the tradition of field experimental-traceological research, which was initiated in 1956 by a famous scientist Sergey A. Semyonov, the founder of a new direction in archaeology – the study of prehistoric technology. This direction revolutionised primeval archaeology by combining the study of traces of the use of tools with experimental studies of the methods of their manufacture and application. After the publication of the English translation of S.A. Semyonov’s book “Prehistoric Technology”, this method became widely used in the investigations of archaeologists all over the world.

Specialists from St. Petersburg, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk and Samara joined the expedition, led by N.N. Skakun and M.Sh. Galimova. The participants of the expedition make replicas of ancient tools, which are used while working. Traces left on the working parts of the standard tools are studied and photographed using a microscope. The experimental and traceological data obtained during the expedition will become a source for reconstruction of production activities in different historical periods.