New international projects of Altai State University scientists in the field of archaeology

In late March and early April 2018, the staff of the Department of Archaeology, Ethnography and Museology and the Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Studies of Archaeology of Western Siberia and Altai under Altai State University visited Germany and Switzerland. The main reason was the registration of their participation in a major project "ASIAPAST" funded by the European Scientific Council.

"Our trip was preceded by a large and long work related to the preparation of the project itself and the conclusion of a cooperation agreement with Kiel University (Germany), which is the lead organization for the implementation of the planned program, designed for 5 years with a possible continuation. The project provides for the implementation of several modern trends related to the study of the processes of cattle-breeding farm formation and development in ancient times over a large area (Central Asia, Kazakhstan, southern Western Siberia and Altai, Mongolia and partly China). Teams from several large, primarily European, scientific centers are involved in it. This is a powerful collaboration in which our university takes a worthy place. The head of the project is Professor Cheryl Makarewicz, who defended her thesis on archaeology at Stanford University, but now works at Kiel University," Head of the Department of Archaeology, Ethnography and Museology, Doctor of History, Professor A.A. Tishkin said.

After signing the contract, ASU scientists visited the library and laboratories of the Institute for Prehistoric and Early History of Kiel University and participated in the research seminar that was held to discuss specific activities and methods related to the implementation of the work plan. Serious work is to be carried out, in which almost all archaeologists of Altai State University will be involved.

Negotiations with the representative of the Institute of Archaeology of the University of Berne, Professor Miroslav Nowak were held In Switzerland. The possibility of implementing several scientific and educational projects in the field of archaeology was discussed. It turned out that Altai State University had all the conditions for that. It remains to make specific steps, which is to be started in the near future taking into account the long-term opportunities.