Some materials on the activities of L.F. Semenov – researcher of antiquities in Central Kazakhstan

Research Article

Abstract

In the presented study, the authors attempt to clearly demonstrate the role and significance of archaeological research in Central Kazakhstan in the 1920s, the post-revolutionary period marked by difficult economic conditions, consequences, and the beginning of reconstruction in the cultural and scientific spheres. Despite the difficult time, including a lack of material and human resources, the state took steps to preserve and study material culture. This is evidenced by the clear regulation of archaeological excavations on the basis of special permits – Open letters. Archaeological work during this period was often of a local historical nature. Local initiatives contributed to archaeological excavations, the recording of material, and its subsequent transfer to museums. Much credit is due to one of the pioneers of the museum movement and an active researcher of the region, L.F. Semenov, who was at the forefront of the opening of the local history museum in Akmolinsk. He took an active part in organising and conducting archaeological research, collecting and classifying artefacts. The study aims to identify, analyse, and evaluate L.F. Semenov's contribution to the study of archaeological sites in Central Kazakhstan, as well as to provide an overview of the surviving materials reflecting his scientific activity. To study the content of his scientific works, articles, and field diaries to identify the subject matter, methodology, and scientific significance, content analysis was used, as well as a historical-comparative method, which made it possible to compare the approaches and results of L.F. Semenov's research with the works of other archaeologists of his time. Particular attention is paid to materials found in the archives on the issue of granting the right to conduct archaeological work. It is noted that the right to conduct archaeological excavations was granted to L.F. Semenov on the basis of an Open letter issued in 1929 in accordance with the established norms of that time. Of additional value are materials from his correspondence with scientists, which allow us to reconstruct scientific connections, discuss theoretical approaches at the time, and clarify the chronology of individual stages of field research. The scientific community highly appreciated L.F. Semenov's contribution to the study of archaeological sites in Central Kazakhstan, as evidenced by references to his works in publications by domestic and foreign specialists. The study of the archaeological legacy of L.F. Semenov is important for concretizing one of the stages in the development of Kazakhstani archaeology.