New books on the history of the early Hungarians presented at the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences

On November 8, 2023, the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences hosted a presentation of editions: “Magna Hungaria between the Volga and the Urals” (by Khalikov A.Kh.); “Armiyovo barrow and subsoil burial ground” (by: Belorybkin G.N., Izmailov I.L., Melnichenko O.V., Osipova T.V., Pavlikhin A.V., Khalikov A.Kh.); “Belt sets of the Vetluga-Vyatka interfluve population in IX-XI centuries” (by Nikitina T.B.), which are dedicated to one of the most interesting periods of history – the early Middle Ages.
This event was organized by the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, the Consulate General of Hungary in Kazan, Pazmany Peter Catholic University, Mari Scientific Research Institute of Language, Literature and History named after V.M. Vasiliev.
The presentation was attended by more than 120 participants (80 – in person and 43 – online): President of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences R.N. Minnikhanov, Head of the Department of Culture and Development of Languages of the Peoples RT of the Cabinet of Ministers L.G. Nizamova, member of the Public Council under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan R.G. Safiullina, Deputy of the State Committee on Archives G.I. Ildarkhanova-Balchykly, Chairman of the State Committee on Tourism S.Ye. Ivanov, leading adviser at the Department of Archaeology of the Committee for Protection of Cultural Heritage Sites Ye.N. Grafeyev, chief adviser at the Department for State Protocol of the Rais (Head) RT S.S. Khabibullina, chief adviser at the Department for Foreign Affairs of the Rais (Head) RT R.F. Sabirov, Head of the division at the International Relations Department of the Kazan City Duma S.I. Sabitova, Consul General of Hungary Szergej Szűcs, Vice-Consul of Turkey Taner Arıcan, Consul General of Kazakhstan E.U. Iskakov, Consul General of Uzbekistan F.B. Nasriev, Consul General of China Xiang Bo, Consul General of Iran Davoud Mirzakhani, as well as scientific and scientific-educational institutions of Tatarstan, Chuvashia, Penza region, representatives of museums, museum-reserves and libraries of the Republic of Tatarstan, representatives of mass media, post-graduate students of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences and students of KFU.
The presentation of the books was opened by the President of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences R.N. Minnikhanov. In his speech, he noted the importance of continuing joint research both with Hungarian colleagues and with representatives of other regions of the Russian Federation and near and far abroad countries. The participants were welcomed by the Consul General of Hungary in Kazan Szergej Szűcs, Director of the Mari Scientific Research Institute of Language, Literature and History named after V.M. Vasiliev Grigoriyeva Lyudmila Yakovlevna, Professor of the Pazmany Peter Catholic University Atilla Türk.
A.Kh. Khalikov’s monograph, which is a continuation of his work in co-authorship with Ye.A. Khalikova “Early Hungarians in the Kama and the Urals (Bolshiye Tigany burial ground)”, was presented by R.R. Sattarov, Deputy Director for Science of the Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences. This work was not published during the author’s lifetime. In the scientific fund of the Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences in A.Kh. Khalikov’s personal documents there is an unpublished manuscript of the mentioned monograph on the materials of excavations of the Bolshiye Tigany burial ground.
The monograph on the Armiyovo barrow and subsoil burial ground of the VIII-XI centuries, which contains materials of study of the burial ground throughout the XX century, was presented by G.N. Belorybkin, Rector of the Institute for Regional Development of the Penza region. These are published reports by P.S. Rykov and unpublished ones by M.R. Polesskikh and A.Kh. Khalikov. The analysis of burial rite and material culture allowed the authors to conclude that the burial ground is unique and to attribute it to the Burtas culture.
T.B. Nikitina, chief research fellow at the Mari Scientific Research Institute of Language, Literature and History named after V.M. Vasiliev, presented the monograph “Belt sets of the Vetluga-Vyatka interfluve population in IX-XI centuries“. The belts and belt accessories, spread in the IX–XI centuries on a wide territory from the Danube to the Far East, were the study object. The study presents a catalog and reconstruction of about 40 belt sets from the burial grounds of the IX–XI centuries in the Vetluga-Vyatka area.
During the discussion, the participants raised questions about the importance of continuing the study of the genesis and early stages of the history of the Hungarians. At the same time, it was noted that the appeal to this topic is due to the great role of the Ugric peoples in the formation of medieval Eurasian ethnic groups and their influence on important world processes from Siberia to Western Europe.