50th Anniversary of Bilyar Archaeological Expedition: results and issues of Great Town investigation
The article outlines the main results of the investigation of Bilyar fortified settlement – a unique monument of medieval East-European archaeology located in Alexeyevsky District of the Tatarstan Republic. A small amount of information on Bilyar has remained in Ancient Russian chronicles (in which...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Russian |
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Academy of Sciences of Tatarstan, A.Kh. Khalikov Archaeology Institute
2017-07-01
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| Series: | Поволжская археология |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://archaeologie.pro/ru/archive/20/357/ |
| _version_ | 1819049683169837056 |
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| author | Khuzin Fayaz Sh. Valiulina Svetlana I. Shakirov Zufar G. |
| author_facet | Khuzin Fayaz Sh. Valiulina Svetlana I. Shakirov Zufar G. |
| author_sort | Khuzin Fayaz Sh. |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The article outlines the main results of the investigation of Bilyar fortified settlement – a unique monument of medieval East-European archaeology located in Alexeyevsky District of the Tatarstan Republic. A small amount of information on Bilyar has remained in Ancient Russian chronicles (in which it is referred to as Great Town) and the works by 10th – 14th century Arabic and Persian authors. The monument has been known to historians since 18th century, but its archaeological excavations only started in 1967. For 20 years researchers studied its fortifications, five urban burial grounds (including a necropolis of nobility in the centre of the town), discovered the ruined remains of three brick buildings and a white-stone Cathedral Mosque with a free-standing minaret, craft workshops (pottery, glass-making, blacksmithing and metallurgical), as well as tens and hundreds of common dwellings, utility structures and wells. The discoveries made by Bilyar expedition received a positive reaction from the archaeological community of the country. Since late 1980s the activity of the expedition gradually decreased due to the absence of adequate financing. Minor protective excavations were generally performed in the neighbouring villages. Investigation of the settlement it self continued in 2015. The necessity of continuing systematic excavations in Bilyar and the surrounding monuments is evident from both the scientific and practical viewpoints – application of investigation results for the purposes of tourism. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T11:36:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-22b0ef1d2424448f8426fa27c7771785 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2306-4099 2500-2856 |
| language | Russian |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T11:36:03Z |
| publishDate | 2017-07-01 |
| publisher | Academy of Sciences of Tatarstan, A.Kh. Khalikov Archaeology Institute |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Поволжская археология |
| spelling | doaj.art-22b0ef1d2424448f8426fa27c77717852022-12-21T19:05:27ZrusAcademy of Sciences of Tatarstan, A.Kh. Khalikov Archaeology InstituteПоволжская археология2306-40992500-28562017-07-0122082710.24852/pa2017.2.20.8.2750th Anniversary of Bilyar Archaeological Expedition: results and issues of Great Town investigationKhuzin Fayaz Sh. 0Valiulina Svetlana I. 1Shakirov Zufar G. 2Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Khalikov, Tatarstan Academy of Sciences. Butlerov St., 30, Kazan, 420012, the Republic of Tatarstan, Russian FederationKazan (Volga Region) Federal University. Kremlyovskaya St., 18, Kazan, 420000, the Republic of Tatarstan, Russian FederationInstitute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Khalikov, Tatarstan Academy of Sciences. Butlerov St., 30, Kazan, 420012, the Republic of Tatarstan, Russian FederationThe article outlines the main results of the investigation of Bilyar fortified settlement – a unique monument of medieval East-European archaeology located in Alexeyevsky District of the Tatarstan Republic. A small amount of information on Bilyar has remained in Ancient Russian chronicles (in which it is referred to as Great Town) and the works by 10th – 14th century Arabic and Persian authors. The monument has been known to historians since 18th century, but its archaeological excavations only started in 1967. For 20 years researchers studied its fortifications, five urban burial grounds (including a necropolis of nobility in the centre of the town), discovered the ruined remains of three brick buildings and a white-stone Cathedral Mosque with a free-standing minaret, craft workshops (pottery, glass-making, blacksmithing and metallurgical), as well as tens and hundreds of common dwellings, utility structures and wells. The discoveries made by Bilyar expedition received a positive reaction from the archaeological community of the country. Since late 1980s the activity of the expedition gradually decreased due to the absence of adequate financing. Minor protective excavations were generally performed in the neighbouring villages. Investigation of the settlement it self continued in 2015. The necessity of continuing systematic excavations in Bilyar and the surrounding monuments is evident from both the scientific and practical viewpoints – application of investigation results for the purposes of tourism.http://archaeologie.pro/ru/archive/20/357/archaeologyVolga BolgariaBilyar fortified settlement and its surrounding areasin- vestigation historymajor achievementsresearch issues and perspectives |
| spellingShingle | Khuzin Fayaz Sh. Valiulina Svetlana I. Shakirov Zufar G. 50th Anniversary of Bilyar Archaeological Expedition: results and issues of Great Town investigation Поволжская археология archaeology Volga Bolgaria Bilyar fortified settlement and its surrounding areas in- vestigation history major achievements research issues and perspectives |
| title | 50th Anniversary of Bilyar Archaeological Expedition: results and issues of Great Town investigation |
| title_full | 50th Anniversary of Bilyar Archaeological Expedition: results and issues of Great Town investigation |
| title_fullStr | 50th Anniversary of Bilyar Archaeological Expedition: results and issues of Great Town investigation |
| title_full_unstemmed | 50th Anniversary of Bilyar Archaeological Expedition: results and issues of Great Town investigation |
| title_short | 50th Anniversary of Bilyar Archaeological Expedition: results and issues of Great Town investigation |
| title_sort | 50th anniversary of bilyar archaeological expedition results and issues of great town investigation |
| topic | archaeology Volga Bolgaria Bilyar fortified settlement and its surrounding areas in- vestigation history major achievements research issues and perspectives |
| url | http://archaeologie.pro/ru/archive/20/357/ |
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