The second stage of the 12th Bolgar International Archaeological School has begun its work in Turkistan

On September 19, 2025, the second stage of the 12th Bolgar International Archaeological School was inaugurated at the Ahmet Yassawi University. Welcome addresses at the plenary session were delivered by: Zhanar A. Temirbekova, Rector of Ahmet Yassawi University; Evren Rutbil, Director of the International Institute for Central Asian Studies; Rifkat N. Minnikhanov, President of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences; Asemgul D. Kasenova, Deputy Director General for Science of the Margulan Institute of Archaeology of the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan: Ayrat G. Sitdikov, Director of the Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences.

The School is attended by 36 participants: postgraduates, doctoral candidates, young scientists, and specialists from five countries: Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. The instructors are specialists from scientific and educational centers in Russia, Hungary, Greece, China, and Bulgaria. The program of the International Archaeological School will cover such relevant interdisciplinary fields as “Fundamental principles of the experimental use-wear analysis methodology for ancient tools” and “Documentation of UNESCO archaeological sites.” And, as is tradition, the School’s work will conclude with a final international youth research-to-practice conference, “Interdisciplinary research in archaeology: achievements and challenges” (September 27, 2025), where participants will present reports on the results of their research.The first stage of the School was held, as usual, in Bolgar from August 12 to 25, 2025. This session focused on the preservation of historical and cultural heritage—specifically, the restoration and conservation of archaeological artifacts made of various materials (metal, organic materials, ceramics, and stone).

The Bulgarian International Archaeological School is an annual scientific and educational event. Its objective is to bring together scholars from various countries and scientific and educational resources to present and introduce the latest achievements of world science within educational programs, as well as the practices of studying and preserving world historical and cultural heritage.

The second stage of this research and educational project is organized by the International Institute for Central Asian Studies (Samarkand, Uzbekistan), the Margulan Institute of Archaeology (Almaty, Kazakhstan), Ahmet Yassawi University (Turkistan, Kazakhstan), the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, and the Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Khalikov TAS (Kazan, Russia).