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The article analyzes the expedition organized by Evgeny Andreevich Ashchepkov, well-known specialist in folk architecture, to study the Russian population architecture in Kamenskoe Priobye of the Altai Region. The authors state that it has never been a research object, moreover there is unreliable information in scientific literature. The study’s main sources are the documents of E.A. Ashchepkov’s personal archive in Novosibirsk Regional State Archive. The research relevance is determined by the fact that the field materials collected by E.A. Ashchepkov are little used in his summarizing monograph on Altai, and are still not in demand by other investigators of old-timer culture of the Russian population. Therefore, the research objectives and tasks are focused on revealing the terms and routes of expedition; analyzing the sources kept in Novosibirsk Regional State Archive to determine their potential for studying traditional culture of Russian Siberians. Using reconstruction and biographical methods, the authors managed to identify the terms of expedition - August of 1944, and reconstruct the route of his field research. The article describes the main ways of recording the information (black and white pencil sketching with further drawing in color, photographic recording, charting). E.A. Ashchepkov’s professionalism as an architect contributed to fixing multicultural information, not limited by architecture only. That, on the one hand, makes this information available to different social-humanitarian specialists, especially ethnographers, art historians and cultural studies scholars; on the other hand, due to notes left under the materials, it is possible to suppose that the geographical frames of his «personal» field voyages were much wider and included other regions of Altai Region and the Republic of Altai. The authors conclude that the revealed unpublished expedition materials make it possible to better understand both folk architecture, and other household traditions of old-time residents of forest steppe in Kamenskoe Priobie as well. The expedition materials concerning the territories bordering on the Altai Region allow reaching the comparative level of local variants of Russian Siberians’ culture under different geographical and ethnic-cultural conditions.

The work objective is to characterize the image of the ferret in the Buryat traditional culture. Its novelty is determined by the lack of research on this topic in Russian ethnography. The study is based on written and field sources and carried out with a structural-semiotic and comparative methods. The paper’s first section provides a general description of the ferret image in the Buryat traditional culture. It shows this animal’s place in the folk zooclassification, reveals its utilitarian use. Lexical data from languages of Buryat and northern Inner Asia peoples indicate the general Mongolian origin of the Buryat names of the ferret. The article pays attention to the edibility criterion of this animal; notes that the Buryat vocabulary and folklore reflect the ferret’s main biological characteristics. The work’s second section examines the ferret image in the Buryat folklore and rituals. There is an interchangeability of the images of the ferret and Siberian weasel in the Buryat epic. The ferret is associated with the motif of werewolf, which manifests itself in the plot of the cultural hero’s successive reincarnation into different representatives of the marten family. In general, a predominantly negative connotation of this predatory animal is revealed in the Buryat vocabulary and folklore. This animal’s positive connotation, its sacralization can be traced in the Buryat traditional shamanic rituals. Ferret fetishes are credited with a function of a shaman’s assistant spirit, a guide to other worlds. In the Buryat family ritual they act as a talisman for family members, primarily for children, they are also endowed with a therapeutic function. The author concludes that the ferret image has an ambiguous characteristics in the traditional Buryat culture.

The ethnographic expeditions took place in Pritom’e (Chebulinsky, Tyazhinsky, Mariinsky districts of Kemerovo Region) in 2018-2021, where the author managed to work with the descendants of the Old Believers (who called themselves Kerzhaks) retaining a stable cultural identity to this day. The article objective is to identify the stable identity reasons of the Old Believers in the XX century. The main source of research was the story by A.V. Lepshakova, born in 1955, a resident of Prokop’evo village, Tyazhinsky District, Kemerovo Region, whose maternal relatives were Old Believers. Besides, materials collected from informants, whose ancestors were Old Believers as well, were added. The author used the interview method (in-depth interview) and audio recording at the stage of field study. The methodology is based on an ethnocultural approach to understanding identity, where an important marker of the latter is the continuity of the cultural choice of a group united by a common memory, belief, common material and spiritual culture. The study applies descriptive and comparative-historical research method as well. Old Believers of Prokop’evo village, despite the active processes of the family and social life transformation in the XX century, show the stability of cultural identity. The reason for this was the Old Believer’s religious beliefs, which left their mark on the social and family way of life. Kerzhaks did not marry people of another faith, distanced themselves from the outside world (they settled in a separate village, then a separate street), were distinguished by household cleanliness and the long-term preserving a large patriarchal family. The policy of the Soviet leadership (attracting women to social and cultural activities, joint work of the Old Believers and Russian settlers on the collective farm, the younger generation mobility, etc.) led to the loss of cultural markers by the Old Believer’s descendants and their mixing with Russian settlers through marriage. However, the descendants of the Old Believers (being such only through one parent) retained their identity under such conditions that should be explained by the prestige of the Old Believer identity in their families.

The study is devoted to the local calendar customs formation of the Russians in the Altai region in the 1920-1960s. The author examines in detail the adaptation mechanisms of traditional culture in the region at different stages of this period (under the conditions of a new ideology, the cultural policy of the Soviet state, anti-religious propaganda, etc.) of the Russians in Altai. The research objectives are to identify the main causes of transformational processes in the festive calendar of Altai Russians in the 1920s-1960s, characterize the features of some holidays of the “new Soviet ritual”, designate elements of customs and rituals of traditional calendar holidays included in the scenarios of new Soviet holidays. The study aim is to trace transformations of socio-cultural processes in terms of adaptation of traditional culture to the new, crisis conditions of existence. The research novelty is to solve the problem at the specific regional level (district, village). As a result, the author has recorded important changes in the system of traditional calendar holidays, such as violation of the ban to work on holidays, shifts and transfers in performing rituals, changes in the recipe of festive dishes, and others. The article notes that many informants born in the 1940s and later do not remember the meanings of performing certain ritual actions, cannot explain their purpose yet. The author managed to establish some borrowings from traditional festive rituals regarding «new holiday rituals»: for example, curling birch branches with ribbons when rewarding a collective farm unit, decorating cars with birch branches (Holiday of the Russian Birch). There were a number of adaptive forms during the period of ritual rounds of courtyards on Christmas time, Maundy Thursday, Easter and Radunitsa, Trinity. The study confirms that since the late 1920s - early 1930s there was a division of views of the older and younger generations, which was expressed in relation to the «old» and «new» holidays («your» and «our» holidays). These processes influenced the formation of a new Soviet identity of people later called «Sovieticus». The study is based on the author’s field research in 2014-2022: interviews with descendants of old-timers and settlers of Altai Region, employees of rural Houses of Culture, teachers of rural schools, librarians, leaders of folklore ensembles, etc. Besides, it uses materials from the State Archives, Pospelikha Archives of the Altai Region.

The article objective is to analyze the administrative initiatives and proposals prepared by Orenburg civil governors and presented to the supreme power in the first half of the XIX century. The solution of this research problem will help to reveal fully the administrative mechanisms of the Orenburg Province, where a special model of power functioned based on the interaction of the military and civil governorship institutions. The article subject field involves the content analysis of proposals and initiatives of Orenburg civil governors, features of their consideration and implementation. The work source base are legislative acts; paperwork materials: presentations and reports of Orenburg civil governors to the military governors, the Minister of Internal Affairs, annual all-subject reports of the chiefs on the situation in the Province, results of a review of provincial and county government offices, official correspondence. The analysis made it possible to conclude that the proposals and initiatives of Orenburg civil governors in the first half of the XIX century were determined by their competence and degree of power, affecting primarily the institutions of local government subordinate to them - the provincial government, the office, the police, and since 1842 - all provincial institutions. According to the procedure established by law, they were sent to the military governor for consideration, then - to the Committee of Ministers, and to the Emperor. Unlike the projects of Orenburg military governors, which were of a comprehensive, large-scale nature, affecting the military, civilian, border parts in the region, which corresponded to the subjects of their jurisdiction, proposals of the civil governors provided only individual measures to improve the local government system. In those cases when the representations of Orenburg civil governors were initiated by the government or the military governor, they concerned the order of work, the states of government offices. A number of notes and projects of Orenburg Province heads arose as results of a direct appeal to the government to clarify the opinion of the governors about the upcoming reforms, changes in states. The civil governors’ proposals, which were drawn up on their own initiative, concerned minor economic issues - improving the fire station, constructing new buildings for hospitals, almshouses. An analysis of the civil governor proposals allows us to conclude that in the administrative space of the state there was a constant dialogue between the central and regional authorities in the first half of the XIX century.

The article aims to reconsider the sources that reflect the Siberian episode of V.A. Artsimovich biography, an outstanding statesman of the Russian Empire, from the point of view of imperial studies and personal history. The study base includes two groups of sources. The first one comprises documents from the revision of the administration of West Siberia led by Adjutant General N.N. Annenkov, and notes by V.A. Artsimovich, preserved in his collection of documents. Their textual similarities, found while studying revision documents and V.A. Artsimovich’s notes, confirm the author’s hypothesis that some documents signed by N.N. Annenkov were initially prepared by V.A. Artsimovich. Moreover, these documents played a major role in establishing the 2^nd Siberian Committee. This fact is crucial for understanding the essence and the evolution of Artsimovich’s worldview and opinion on the Siberian region problems and future, to assess his personality adequately. The second group of sources is private correspondence and memoirs (or semi-memoirs). Letters by Ya.S. Skropyshev to V.A. Artsimovich show him as the most educated, trusted, and close person to the governor. Comparing the texts of Skropyshev’s semi-memoir essay on the Tobolsk Province of the 1850s with letters of V.A. Artsimovich’s relatives demonstrates that the content and nature of the essay, characteristics of Tobolsk Governor himself, his relationship with the Governor-General of West Siberia G.Kh. Gasford, Senator M.N. Zhemchuzhnikov are largely influenced by views of Artsimovich’s family members. It was they who initiated the creation of essay by Skropyshev and provided him with materials from the family archive and contributed to the publication of notes in “Vestnik Evropy”, and then in the collection of documents “Viktor Antonovich Artsimovich. Memories. Characteristics”. These circumstances should be taken into account when referring to Skropyshev’s essay on the Tobolsk Province, which is widely used by researchers. The explicit, frank and constant patronage of M.N. Zhemchuzhnikov towards V.A. Artsimovich reflected in the correspondence of family members can serve as a clear and illustrative example of relations common within the empire administrative apparatus.

M.M. Speransky, an outstanding state figure of the XIX century, the Siberian Governor-General (1819-1822), left a significant mark in the administrative-political organization history of the outskirts of Russia, which was an important plot of the domestic imperialism building, and became the subject of close attention of researchers. At the same time, the Soviet and post-Soviet historiography emphasized mainly the content and results of M.M. Speransky’s reform activities in Russia and Siberia, as well as the important episodes of his personal biography during the rapid career growth (until March 1812). Much less attention was paid to the description and scientific-research reflection of the personal traumatic experience of the highest imperial official in circumstances of exile and “disgrace” (1812-1816), as well as to the understanding of Speransky’s self-feelings in the subsequent years marked by his activities as Penza Civil Governor and Siberian Governor-General. A prominent contribution to this problem statement and development was made in the 1870s by representatives of Siberian regionalism (V.I. Vagin, G.N. Potanin, N.M. Yadrintsev). They drew attention in their journalism and private correspondence to the consonance of their own socio-political biographies with the life experience of an outstanding Siberian reformer, that allowed them to reproduce the personality and activity of M. Speransky taking into account the experienced psychological trauma. Appealing to the modern interpretations of the “trauma” concept and ways to overcome it made it possible to reveal the ideas of Siberian regionalism on M. Speransky’s personal feelings and experiences at different stages of the reform activities in Siberia, the adaptive behavior strategies of the official, dependence of decision-making on the psychological state in a difficult life situation. Based on the ego-texts of the Siberian regionalism leaders, the study reveals, that implementing the administrative and management mission in Siberia by M. Speransky fell into victimized and resilient stages in psychological terms. In their frames, there was a gradual overcoming of trauma and changing the world perception of the reformer, which formed a positive background for regional transformations.

This article deals with the establishment and development of the state education system in East-Siberian Governorate-General in the first half of the XIX century. Historiographic analysis reveals that the history of national education in Eastern Siberia of the mentioned period is poorly studied. The paper attempts to study comprehensively the system of public education in the Eastern Siberia in the first half of the XIX century based summarization of historical research and analysis of management documentation introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The study uses chronological, formal legal methods based on T. Parsons’ structural-functional approach. As a result of complex analysis, the author has determined that the state education establishment in Siberia began simultaneously with the general imperial system development in a period of Catherine II reforms in the late XVIII century. Main and small folk schools in Siberia were opened under the Charter of 1786. Further development of the system is associated with the reforms of Alexander I. Provincial gymnasiums, county and parish schools were established in the region. The author reveals that in East-Siberian Governorate-General established in 1822 a significant number of state educational institutions were concentrated in the Irkutsk Province. The parish schools were opened by the initiative of the public and held solely at public expense that affected their number. The great distance from the center led to the removal of educational institutions from the Imperial system of government and contributed to establishing a specific control system based on the subordination to visitators, civilian governors, and since 1841 - to the Governors-General. The author concludes that a predominantly state education with a special centralized form of control was established in Eastern Siberia, which ultimately slowed down its development.

The last catastrophic debris flow disaster took place in Tajikistan in the Barsemdara River valley in 2015. The aim of this study was to apply chain modeling to consider debris flow characteristics of 2015 year. This approach has also been applied to assess potential flood prone zones for future debris flows. To consider the characteristics of debris flow in the source, the transport-shift model, developed by Yu.B. Vinogradov was applied. Based on this model, debris flow hydrographs were obtained and used as input data for valley zoning based on the FLO-2D model. So, for scenario I, the debris flow discharge of the forward wave was used as the input hydrograph (maximum -1630 m³/s), the II scenario - the debris flow discharge at the source outlet (maximum 650 m³/s). The digital elevation model ALOS PALSAR (12.5 m) was used as the relief data. Since there are no rheological data, the modeling was carried out using several sets of parameters. The simulated debris flow discharges based on the most realistic option for I scenario varied from 1494 to 2860 m³/s for individual waves. Additionally, the authors carried out modeling using digital elevation model from an unmanned aerial vehicle obtained during the survey in 2019. The results showed that the considered approach makes it possible to estimate the boundaries of both actual and potential flood prone zones.

This paper has described the role and contribution of P.I. Melnikov, Academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences; N.A. Tsytovich, Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences; N.I. Saltykov, Professor, and V.F. Zhukov, Candidate of Technical Sciences, to construction of the Yakutsk Combined Heat and Power Plant. These outstanding figures known for their pioneering researches in different fields of permafrost science and engineering were actively and directly involved in the construction project, including the planning and design, foundation analysis, site investigation, foundation construction, and post-construction monitoring. The foundation condition at the plant site, the causes for talik development and the dynamics of talik distribution during the period of authors’ observations have been discussed. The reasons of the quite stable state of all the plant’s facilities despite the widespread talik occurrence have been adduced.