Alexey Okladnikov
Encyclopedia
Alexey Pavlovich Okladnikov was a Russian archaeologist, historian
, and ethnographer, an expert in the ancient cultures of Siberia
and the Pacific Basin. He was elected a full member of the USSR
Academy of Sciences
in 1968, and awarded the honorary title of the Hero of Socialist Labor
(1978).
The childhood of the scientist has passed in Biryulka
village in Siberia.
In 1938-1961, Okladnikov worked in the Leningrad division of the Archeology Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Since 1961 Head of the Division of Human Research of the Economics Institute, Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Since 1966 Director of the Institute of History, Philology and Philosophy, Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Since 1962, Professor and Head, Department of History, of Novosibirsk State University
.
His works include research on ancient history of Siberia
, Far East
, Mongolia
, and Middle East
. He identified numerous cultures of the Paleolithic
, Neolithic
, Bronze
, and Iron Ages in Siberia and the Far East.
A. P. Okladnikov taught field studies in Siberia
, the Far East
, Central Asia
and Mongolia
.
In 1971, he supervised excavations at Zashiversk
and the relocation of the historic Spaso-Zashiverskaya Church to Novosibirsk
, where it is now displayed.
He excavated and studied remnants of Neanderthal
culture in Teshik-Tash
in Uzbekistan
, Paleolithic remnants in Priamurye and Mongolia
, as well as petroglyphs on the banks of the Lena River
and the Angara River
In 1945, Okladnikov examined the remains of a Russian polar expedition base left in 1617 in the Faddey Islands
off the north-eastern coast of the Taimyr Peninsula, where he also made other discoveries.
He is the author of the Summary on the History of Ancient Society and the Ancient Culture of
Paleolitic and Neolithic Art, the History of Siberia, the Far East and the Far North.
The museum of Khabarovsk
is named "Okladnikov Museum" in his honour.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, and ethnographer, an expert in the ancient cultures of Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
and the Pacific Basin. He was elected a full member of the USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Academy of Sciences
Russian Academy of Sciences
The Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals....
in 1968, and awarded the honorary title of the Hero of Socialist Labor
Hero of Socialist Labor
Hero of Socialist Labour was an honorary title in the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries. It was the highest degree of distinction for exceptional achievements in national economy and culture...
(1978).
The childhood of the scientist has passed in Biryulka
Biryulka
Biryulka is a rural locality in Kachugsky District of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, on the Lena River near its headwaters northwest of Lake Baikal. Its population can be estimated from the number of voters: 1,021....
village in Siberia.
In 1938-1961, Okladnikov worked in the Leningrad division of the Archeology Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Since 1961 Head of the Division of Human Research of the Economics Institute, Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Since 1966 Director of the Institute of History, Philology and Philosophy, Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Since 1962, Professor and Head, Department of History, of Novosibirsk State University
Novosibirsk State University
Novosibirsk State University was founded in May 1959 in the USSR by Soviet academicians Mikhail Alekseevich Lavrentiev, Sergei Lvovich Sobolev and Sergey Alekseyevich Khristianovich in a program of establishing a Siberian branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences...
.
His works include research on ancient history of Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
, Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, and Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. He identified numerous cultures of the Paleolithic
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
, Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
, Bronze
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
, and Iron Ages in Siberia and the Far East.
A. P. Okladnikov taught field studies in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
, the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
and Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
.
In 1971, he supervised excavations at Zashiversk
Zashiversk
Zashiversk was a town north of the arctic circle in what is now the Sakha Republic , Russia. It was located on the right bank of the Indigirka River where the river makes a sharp bend around the town-site. It was founded in 1639. It served as a fortress town and then as an administrative center....
and the relocation of the historic Spaso-Zashiverskaya Church to Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk is the third-largest city in Russia, after Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the largest city of Siberia, with a population of 1,473,737 . It is the administrative center of Novosibirsk Oblast as well as of the Siberian Federal District...
, where it is now displayed.
He excavated and studied remnants of Neanderthal
Neanderthal
The Neanderthal is an extinct member of the Homo genus known from Pleistocene specimens found in Europe and parts of western and central Asia...
culture in Teshik-Tash
Teshik-Tash
Teshik-Tash is an archaeological site in Uzbekistan in central Asia. The site includes the remains of a Neanderthal child in association with Ibex horns, which initially were interpreted as remains of a funerary ritual...
in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
, Paleolithic remnants in Priamurye and Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, as well as petroglyphs on the banks of the Lena River
Lena River
The Lena is the easternmost of the three great Siberian rivers that flow into the Arctic Ocean . It is the 11th longest river in the world and has the 9th largest watershed...
and the Angara River
Angara River
The Angara River is a long river in Irkutsk Oblast and Krasnoyarsk Krai, south-east Siberia, Russia. It is the only river flowing out of Lake Baikal, and is the headwater tributary of the Yenisei River....
In 1945, Okladnikov examined the remains of a Russian polar expedition base left in 1617 in the Faddey Islands
Faddey Islands
The Faddey Islands is a group of islands covered with tundra vegetation, shingle and ice. It is located in the Laptev Sea coastal region, off Faddey Bay in the coast of Siberia, east of the Taymyr Peninsula.The Main islands are:* Ostrov Faddeyya-Severnyy, latitude 76° 59' N and longitude 108° 02’...
off the north-eastern coast of the Taimyr Peninsula, where he also made other discoveries.
He is the author of the Summary on the History of Ancient Society and the Ancient Culture of
Paleolitic and Neolithic Art, the History of Siberia, the Far East and the Far North.
The museum of Khabarovsk
Khabarovsk
Khabarovsk is the largest city and the administrative center of Khabarovsk Krai, Russia. It is located some from the Chinese border. It is the second largest city in the Russian Far East, after Vladivostok. The city became the administrative center of the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia...
is named "Okladnikov Museum" in his honour.