“The Spanish in the Mines”: tribute to Serguei Vladimirovich Kuzminykh

Abstract

The authors had the good fortune to participate since 1993 in the research studies at the Bronze Age mining and metallurgical complex of Kargaly, thanks to the generous invitation by its director, Dr. Evgeni N. Chernykh. To be part of his team was an extremely enriching experience for them as scientists, bringing the authors into contact with the actual problems, traditions and practice of Russian archaeology in the context of such an important project. Furthermore, the experience was relevant in terms of the human and personal grounds. The participation in the Kargaly team allowed the authors to know first hand a group of colleagues with whom they have been linked since then by friendship, comradeship and intense and fruitful scientific exchange. This is the case of Serguey V. Kuzminykh. The authors learned a lot from him about science and life thanks to that extraordinary opportunity to share seasons of fieldwork in the steppe, working sessions in Moscow, and meetings in many other places. This paper is intended as an approach to that experience and a tribute to Kuzminykh as a scientist and as a person.

Keywords

• archaeology
• historiography
• personal memories
• e.n. chernykh
• international cooperation
• interdisciplinary research
• field archaeology
• mining and metallurgical center
• late bronze age
• archaeometallurgy
• experimental archaeology
• landscape archaeology
• southern pre-urals
• russia