Interdisciplinary Studies of the Mausoleum Complex Nearby the Village of Lapas (2022–2023)

Abstract

Nearby the village of Lapas in the Astrakhan region, there is a complex of Golden Horde mausoleums. In 2022, 2023 the Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences continued the comprehensive studies of this site. The results of the excavations allowed: to identify part of the mausoleum structures (brick floor, coated with alabaster mortar); to confirm information about the dismantling of the building walls for bricks; correct the interpretation of magnetometry data. In 2022, the mausoleum complex was photographed using an aerial laser scanning. A digital elevation model (DEM) was created, the analysis of which allowed us to assume the presence of previously unknown mausoleums. In 2023, using magnetometry, the remains of several complexes, probably structures made of raw bricks on the same site, were recorded, which can be divided into groups according to orientation. The results obtained confirm the presence of an unknown number of objects of this monument that have not yet been identified, and outline ways for further studies.

Keywords

• archaeology
• ak-sarai settlement
• lapas complex
• mausoleum
• magnetometry
• aerial laser scanning
• geophysical and geodetic studies