On behalf of Russian archaeologists – as a gift to a Turkmen museum

Head of the International Russian-Turkmen archaeological expedition, deputy director of the Institute of History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences Natalia Solovyeva who entered into the representative delegation of St.-Petersburg, presented the State Museum of Fine Arts of Turkmenistan with a 3D-model of the Parhai altar restored on the basis of finds in Turkmenistan. For many years now the expedition headed by Natalia Fedorovna, has explored Yylgynly-depe. In 2014 a unique complex- a specialised workshop on manufacture of small clay plasticity of V-IV of millennia BC was discovered there. Researchers assert that the workshop in Yylgynly-depe – the oldest one unearthed in the entire Near East and Central Asia. The world archaeology has not met so far anything similar neither from the point of view of antiquity, nor from the point of view of its preservation. For discovery of such level head of the archaeological expedition Natalia Solovyeva has been awarded the state award of Turkmenistan - medal of Mahtumkuli Fragi.

- One thousand years of existence of civilisation has remained at twenty metres of culture layers. While we have unearthed only six Solovyeva who visited the exhibition of findings from Yylgynly-depe organised in the museum of fine arts, to governor of St.-Petersburg Alexander Beglov. - And we almost necessarily find every year something special. She has presented the artefacts found during archaeological excavations - mosaics, household articles, items and other. - Such considerable quantity of products gives cause to speak about manufacture of hand-made articles for needs of other members of a community of settlement, that is - about craft as the quantity of small products from a complex considerably surpasses needs of one family.

According to the historian, presence of a real workshop, not only just a work zone, testifies that in the workshop in Yylgynly-depe items for all the community whose population could reach 1,5 thousand people were made. Until recently it was considered that this society had not been structured. Now, thanks to the given discovery, it is possible to assert that it had at least a class of handicraftsmen and it speaks about the higher level of development of this society, its standard of well-being. Annually students of historical faculties of Turkmen higher schools undergo a two-week practice with the Russian expedition. There they study also restoration of artworks. Showing the restored artefacts, Natalia Fedorovna with pride states: - During a two-week practice students of the Turkmen institute of culture work over restoration of found artefacts, studying its techniques and methods. Then they go to the high school and finish work which is handed to museums as gifts.

The expedition hopes for further continuation of fruitful work. - Life here boiled when in the medium and northern zones there was nothing yet. And it is unprecedented, - Solovyeva said. Also in the museum of fine arts there was held a press event in which the governor summarised results of his visit to Ashgabat and expressed confidence that further cooperation will bring to the countries mutual benefit.