Mintimer Shaimiev in Sviyazhsk: “We should keep on working with the same pace”

On June 26, Tatarstan State Counsellor Mintimer Shaimiev took part in a meeting of the International interdepartmental scientific and methodological council of experts of the Regional Fund of Revival of Historical and Cultural Monuments of the Republic of Tatarstan (Fund "Revival) in the island town of Sviyazhsk.

The meeting was chaired by Chairman of Council of Experts, Rector of Kazan Federal University Ilshat Gafurov at the excavation site of Tatar Settlement, where a wood archaeology museum unique for Russia will be built in the near future. The project was presented by members of the International Council of Experts today.

Head of the National Center for Archeological Studies of the Institute of History named after Sh. Mardjani of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences Airat Sitdikov briefed participants of the meeting on the island town of Sviyazhsk Tatar Settlement project. Since its establishment, Svijazhsk was a city, where various peoples have lived, mainly Russians. Tatars have lived in Sviyazhsk as well.

According to the written sources, the yards named Tatar Street were situated close to the contemporary River Station. “We can see the presence of Tatar residents here later as well. The local placement of Tatar yards since the 16th century has allowed naming the place Tatar Settlement,” Airat Sitdikov said.

The excavation site of Tatar Settlement makes it possible to learn the history of Sviyazhsk. “We can really see it all here: the houses, the fences, what people did and what their speciality was. I think we will be able to show and display all that in the museum,” Airat Sitdikov pointed out, adding that it is planned that all the objects will be displayed in the museum at the same places, where they were found by archaeologists.

The participants of the meeting examined one of the excavation sections, where residential blocks were located in the 16th century, and watched the process of wooden structure conservation.

In addition to wooden log cabins and constructions, a few tens of thousands of museum exhibits have been found at the excavation site of Tatar settlement. All these will be processed and handed over to the Sviazhsky Museum. Ancient skis, a sledge and even a pair of mittens were discovered as well.

"The cultural layer here is very specific and is rarely formed anywhere. It is the so-called wet cultural layer, which preserves organic objects well and where wood, fabric and leather practically do not rot. This is what makes the project unique. The places, where such specific layer is formed, are rare in the archeology " Ayrat Sitdikov explained.

It is planned that the wood archaeology museum will be made in the form of a natural hill with a promenade area at its top.

“A large amount of work needs to be done in Sviyazhsk. The unique excavations, where we discovered Tatar settlement’s wooden constructions, are presented here. All our findings need to be preserved and a unique wood archaeology museum set up,” Mintimer Shaimiev said. “We should keep on working with the same pace, ” he continued.

“There are no such museums in Russia. There are similar ones but only in the West. The wood archaeology is a young industry. It is at the peak of its development now and is of great interest in the research and museum world. It is pleasant that Tatarstan is the pioneer in this field,” Director of the museum “The Island-Town of Sviyazhsk” Artyom Silkin commented.

The participants of the meeting looked around the local handicrafts workshop and 19th century fire-fighting wagon-train, where it was decided to establish a picture gallery combined with a modern tourist information centre.