About the archaeological practice of AltSU students – materials of the newspaper "For Science"

25 June 2022 Newspaper "For Science"

Yulia Dilman, a correspondent of the newspaper "For Science", tells how the training practices are held at the Institute of History and International Relations of Altai State University.

The most interesting and most difficult practice - archaeological - is held by historians in the first year. Like Indiana Jones, the student is armed with a shovel and brush (they wish they could have a whip) and goes in search of treasures. "Archaeologichka", as students call it, takes place in the Altai Mountains or in Charyshsky District for two to three weeks. In the tent camp, experienced teachers teach trainees the basics of field archeology and excavation techniques.

The work is carried out strictly according to the schedule: waking up at seven in the morning, morning routines and breakfast, then at 8:00 excavations until lunch. Then a break until 18:00 (sometimes until 19:00), dinner and free time. They work six days a week.

Everything is done in order to win back a piece of history from time.

The excavations proceed as follows. First, a site is outlined in the form of a square - an excavation. The earth is removed layer by layer along its contour. Each layer of soil (about 25 cm) is carefully studied and checked for the presence of the very treasures of Indiana Jones. The most frequent findings are pieces of pottery and bones. It is also possible to find real treasures. In practice, a student of the Institute of History and International Relations Anatoly Gorovoy found a burial of an aristocratic person with the corresponding funerary items. All findings are sorted and correlated with the historical period. Then the procedure is repeated - and so on until the natural layer of soil has been reached.

“Summer student practice is an exciting and unforgettable event! Many of the students of the following years would like to return to the first year once again and plunge into the atmosphere of a small tent camp on the river bank or at the foot of the mountains. There, the historian has a chance to get into a completely unexplored area, to feel like a real researcher of ancient cultures and learn about the life of our ancestors,” Anatoly Gorovoy recalls his practice.

Now Anatoly is learning the basics of archiving. Practice for second-year students takes place in the city archives. Students learn to work with primary sources, sort important documents and navigate a large flow of information.

In the fourth year, historians can return to school again. Senior students take up teaching practice. Kirill Churakov, a fourth-year student, completed such an internship at gymnasium No. 40.

– Part of the professional prospects of historians is related to teaching. And for me, school practice has become an important stage in my studies at the university. I enjoyed teaching and sharing my knowledge with students. I hope that I managed to find contact with the students and awaken in their hearts the love to history. I noticed that when a person burns with something, it resonates with the rest. Therefore, I tried to convey to students my passion for history.

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