Oriental Studies (May 2018)
Archaeological Collections of Palmov National Museum of Kalmykia Formed during Surveys of 1961-1972
Abstract
The article considers archaeological collections formed in the Palmov National Museum of Kalmykia between 1961 and 1972. The monuments explored from 1961 to 1972 can be classified in two groups as follows: burial sites from the southern side of the Ergeni Upland (Lola 1 and Lola 2, Arkhara, Elista, Gashun, and Kermen Tolga), and burial sites of the Kuma-Manych Depression (East Manych and Tachin Tsarang). The surveys were organized by the Kalmyk Research Institute of Language, Literature and History (now - Kalmyk Scientific Center of the RAS), Kalmyk Republican Museum of Regional Studies (now - National Museum of Kalmykia) and Saratov State University, and directed by Uryubdzhur E. Erdniev (Elista) and Ivan V. Sinitsyn (Saratov). Having been compiled from elements of burial monuments, the collections primarily serve as sources on sacred beliefs of peoples that had inhabited the Volga-Manych steppes in different periods. Still, those can also clarify the technology level of tools, cult-objects, weapons, means of protection, horse harness produced from various materials (bronze, clay, wood, iron, stone, bone, copper, etc.). Due to the fact the objects had been burial implements they are in far better condition than massive fragmented materials from settlement monuments. The collections are examined from a perspective of their value as a source for scholarly research, including with a view to create a permanent exhibition dedicated to archaeological monuments of the region. The work evaluates the current state of the collections, their integrity and condition of identification marks. The inspection revealed that in some cases the integrity has been compromised and id-marks lost. Since in the absence of a ‘passport’ a finding loses its value as a scholarly source, the authors attempted to restore the data, which is largely due to the high level of in-office studies conducted both during and short after the field works. With evidence from data of survey reports containing detailed descriptions and photographs of the findings, they created a database of the collections that proved instrumental for restoring the majority of such ‘finding passports’. Moreover, the structure of the collections and opportunities for the use of the items within a permanent exhibition of Kalmykia’s archaeological monuments have been studied. The analysis concludes that the bulk of the collections are burial implements of the Catacomb culture that date back to the Bronze Age. Items of the Early Bronze, Early Iron and Middle Ages are far fewer, their condition being unsatisfactory for decent description of the monuments. Burial monuments of the periods contained scarce implements, and some of the graves had been plundered in ancient times. Besides, those contained some iron items that are more subject to corrosion. Metal objects to be exhibited require the use of special restoration techniques. The article concludes that for exhibiting some categories of the implements it is urgent to develop illustrative materials, provide for additional photographs and videos, as well as to restore some findings in the form of replicas, e. g., a Neolithic zoomorphic scepter (Arkhara Burial Site), wooden carts and wheels of the Bronze Age, their clay models (Elista and East Manych Burial Sites).
