Arkaim. Covered in myths. Archaeological research of the Bronze Age. Excursion to Arkaim

Arkaim is one of the most famous sights of the Urals, which has the glory of being unusual, mysterious, even anomalous place. Every year many thousands of lovers of miracles from all over the country come here. In addition to tourists, you can meet many esotericists, psychics and other extraordinary people here.

History of Arkaim

Arkaim is a fortified settlement (fortification) bronze age in the steppe zone in the south Chelyabinsk region. It was found by scientists in June 1987 during an archaeological survey of the territory, which was supposed to go under water as a result of the construction of the Bolshekaragan reservoir.

Scientists-archaeologists managed to delay the flooding of the territory for two years. Academician B. B. Piotrovsky, director of the Hermitage, also actively supported them. Later, plans to build a reservoir were completely abandoned. Arkaim managed to defend.

In 1991, the area around the settlement was declared a protected area, formally attached to the Ilmensky mineralogical reserve (it would seem that there is nothing in common?!), as a branch.

In 1991, large-scale excavations of Arkaim began under the direction of G.B. Zdanovich. Approximately half of the area of ​​the settlement was opened. For the first time in the Trans-Urals, the method of reconstruction was applied, drawings and models of the appearance of the settlement were made.

Among the finds in Arkaim: pottery and potters' tools, molds for casting metal products, anvils, arrowheads, horse harnesses, infant burials in the walls of dwellings, the remains of domestic animals, water supply, sewerage.

In the 1990s, Arkaim gained great fame and popularity.

In addition to Arkaim, archaeologists found a couple of dozen more ancient settlements nearby, collectively calling them the "Country of Cities". The most famous is the settlement of Sintashta.

Myths of Arkaim

Since the early 1990s, Arkaim has become very popular among esotericists. It is called the place of power, the ancestral home of the Aryans, the cradle of human civilization, the birthplace of Zarathustra... Arkaim is actively used in pseudoscientific publications. They like to overestimate the level of development of the inhabitants of the settlement. However, all this goes against the real scientific data.

Many gullible tourists come here to witness anomalous phenomena or be healed. A heated imagination sometimes really allows you to see a miracle in ordinary things.

Sights of Arkaim

The age of the fortified settlement of the Bronze Age is 4 thousand years. Much older archaeological sites are known in the Urals. The uniqueness of Arkaim is that it was created according to a pre-planned plan, with a complex and multifunctional architecture.

Named for located 4 kilometers south of the mountain. The toponym "Arkaim" comes from the Turkic word "arch" - "ridge", "back", "base".

The settlement is located on a cape at the confluence of the Bolshaya Karaganka and Utyaganka rivers. The proto-city-settlement has a ring shape with a diameter of 170 meters. In place of the walls of the settlement, only small ramparts are guessed, representing two circles - external and internal. Dwellings were located inside. Everything was made of wood, and therefore almost nothing has been preserved.

Rooms having the shape of a circular sector were attached to both annular walls. In fact, the city was a wooden fortress, consisting of two "apartment" buildings. The walls were made of logs clogged with clay and clay unbaked bricks. The dwellings had wells, hearths, storage pits. In the very center of the settlement there was a square, to which straight streets led. Of the uniqueness of the city - storm sewer, which diverted water outside the settlement.

According to the found skulls, scientists have established that the settlers belonged to the Caucasoid race. Anthropological reconstructions of a man and a woman can be seen in the Chelyabinsk Regional local history museum and the museum of nature and man of the reserve "Arkaim".

The inhabitants were metallurgists, cattle breeders, farmers and warriors. They knew how to process skins, bones, make pottery and weave. The archaeological monument was attributed to the turn of the III-II millennium BC. e., or by the beginning of the II millennium BC. e. Similar proto-cities were not found in the Urals in the later period of the Bronze Age. It is not known why, but one day the inhabitants decided to collect all their belongings, leave their homes and go to another place. Before that, the fort burned down. For this reason, the finds at the settlement are few.

From the surface of the earth, there is nothing special to see here. Tourists who go on an excursion to the ancient settlement usually experience a feeling of disappointment. see outlines ancient settlement maybe from the air. Nevertheless, local scientists seriously talk about the origin of the Aryan race here, about the ancient observatory located here. They draw analogies in the texts of the ancient Iranian "Avesta" and the ancient Indian "Rig Veda". Aryans - the ancient self-name of the Indo-Iranian tribes. Currently, these peoples include: Iranians, Tajiks, Ossetians, Kurds, Balochs, peoples of India. Scythians and Sarmatians spoke similar languages. On the issue of the ancestral home of Aria, they are still arguing.

And supposedly it was here that the horse was domesticated, the two-wheeled cart and war chariots were invented, the tactics of chariot combat were mastered and the metallurgical furnace was invented. Of course, this point of view is not shared by the entire scientific world.

Museum "Nature and Man"

The museum building was built in 2004 by architect V. Fuksman. The expositions of the museum tell about the material and spiritual culture of the tribes that inhabited these steppe regions in different eras. Here you can see the original finds of archaeologists. The section of the museum dedicated to the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Neolithic) tells about the history of human settlement of the steppes of the Southern Urals. Stone tools are presented - scrapers, axes, knives.

The exposition, which tells about the era of early metal, presents finds from the Arkaim settlement and necropolis, as well as data from excavations of settlements and burial grounds of the post-Starkaim period: ceramic vessels with ornaments, bronze and stone products, jewelry. And having got acquainted with the section of the exposition of the early Iron Age and the Middle Ages, you will learn about the history of nomadic peoples. Here are weapons, altars, parts of horse harness, armor. There are also examples of figurines of the "animal" style. XIX - XX centuries are represented by traditional costumes and household items of the indigenous peoples of the Southern Urals.

historical park

A museum has been created on the high terrace of the Bolshaya Karaganka River. open sky – historical park. Here are the designs of burial and places of worship several historical eras steppe peoples. Here you will see stone boxes surrounded by fences (family cemeteries), an alley of menhirs - mysterious cult stones, reconstruction of the burial of nomads. Away is the medieval Aksai complex - a Turkic funeral sculpture and a fence.

Reconstruction of "Kurgan Temir"

Scientists have created an exact copy of the family tomb of the steppe nomads on the basis of excavations of the Sarmatian barrow, found in 1982 in the Chesmensky district of the Chelyabinsk region. It has been dated to the 4th century BC.

The staff of the reserve reproduced both external and internal organization burial structure. Noble representatives of the tribe and their relatives were buried in mounds.

Experts reproduced a life-size settlement of the Eneolithic era. As a basis for the reconstruction, data from a study of the Botai settlement in Northern Kazakhstan were used. Dwellings are round semi-dugouts.

This part of the museum-reserve is actively used for interactive programs, lectures, and excursions. There are also theatrical performances for tourists. At master classes, you can try to make a Stone Age tool, and then work with it.

Ethnographic Museum "Cossack Estate"

Exhibits and structures of this architectural and ethnographic museum were found on Southern Urals and moved here. The museum is based on the restored house of the Orenburg Cossacks Dolgopolov from the village of Varlamovo (late 19th - early 20th century). Inside, an authentic interior of the early 20th century is recreated. The tours tell about the traditions of the people of that time.

Nearby is a "tent" windmill. It was built in the village of Paris in 1929, and later transported by the brothers Brozgulevsky to the former Warsaw village. It worked well until the 1960s. In 1999, employees of the museum-reserve noticed it, dismantled it and transported it to their territory. Master classes are held at the Cossack Estate. Those who wish can weave a charm belt or make a doll.

Camp of the steppe nomad

Consists of four yurts of nomadic peoples (Mongolian and Kazakh). And here you can not only get acquainted with the life of nomads, but for a fee and spend the night in one of the yurts.

Museum of ancient industries

This museum is located on the territory of the Arkaim tourist camp. Several types of kilns have been recreated here - for firing ceramics, heating, and smelting metal products. They are built in life size based on scientific data. In addition, they are still active. All the exhibits of this museum can not only be seen, but also touched. There are also master classes based on ancient crafts.

Steppes and mountains

In Arkaim, not only museums and tourist sites-reconstructions deserve attention. When visiting these places, it is worth admiring the steppe and climbing the hills located here.

Particularly popular Mount Shamanka(or Shamaniha). It is believed to be an ancient paleovolcano. From here you can enjoy sunsets and sunrises. At the top there is a spiral made of stones, consisting of 13 circles. For esotericists, it symbolizes the passage of a chain of incarnations.

Nearby is another mountain - repentance. There is also a stone spiral at its top.

Is popular and mountain of love, which is located on the territory of the upper camp across the Karaganka River. It is the highest of the Arkaim mountains, with steep slopes. There is also a stone spiral here. A beautiful panorama opens up from the top.

ancient mysterious city Arkaim, located on the territory of the Bredinsky district of the Chelyabinsk region, was discovered in 1987. If you look at this temple city from above, you can see a spiral curl. Today "Arkaim" is a nature reserve, a kind of museum under the sky, which attracts pilgrims.

"Arkaim" is tourist place, a whole archaeological complex, which consists of a fortified urban center, a utility site, a burial ground and several unfortified settlements. impresses him geographical position- foothills (eastern side) and the Utyaganka river - the left tributary of the Bolshaya Karaganka.

The Arkaim Reserve is a real treasure for scientists, because populations of rare animals and plants are preserved on its territory.

Brief history of the protected area

Arkaim was first seen by military topographers in 1957, but by mysterious circle showed little interest. Conventional topographers in an aerial survey of the area in 1969 discovered a circular structure that was considered a secret military base. And only in 1987, the participants of the Ural-Kazakhstan archaeological expedition quite by accident discovered Arkaim to mankind. Defensive ramparts, ditches, the street have already been discovered during excavations. Thus, one of the settlements of the “Country of Cities” called Arkaim arose.

The creation of a branch of state significance, that is, the Experimental Museum, was initiated in 1991 by G. B. Zdanovich. In early 1994, the museum became a historical and archaeological center, and in 2007 it was reorganized into the historical and cultural reserve "Arkaim" of regional subordination with many sights.

Complex structure of the reserve

Many argue that "Arkaim" - the reserve of the Chelyabinsk region - is an amazing area where you can concentrate your energy. Therefore, this place is always open not only for historians and archaeologists, but also for many pilgrims, clairvoyants, everyone who believes in the healing and purification of the soul. Arkaim also has a special tradition - to watch the sunrise from the top of the hill.

There are a lot of attractions near the Arkaim reserve. These are various museums and archaeological sites that are open for viewing.

Fortified territory-settlement

This archaeological object of the Bronze Age is dated to the 3rd-2nd millennium BC. e. From the town there were only small hillocks, visible from the air. However, in the past, Arkaim was a settlement with a fairly developed infrastructure for that period of time. Its territory (diameter - only 150 m) was inhabited by approximately 2-3 thousand people. There were several dozen houses in the settlement, but for some reason the natives burned their houses and left the city forever.

historical park

This object of the archaeological complex is located near the Bolshaya Karaganka River, away from the hustle and bustle. In fact, this open-air museum is dominated by the theme of burial. There are many ancient tombstones made of stone and boxes with fences, testifying to the existence of family cemeteries. There are also mysterious menhirs, the purpose of which has not been established. On the territory of the historical park there is a Turkic complex Aksai of the Middle Ages.

"Temir" - reconstructed barrow

The Ostyak of the museum, which displays the ancient barrow, was the results of archaeological research of the Sarmatian barrow, which was located in the Chesmensky district of the Chelyabinsk region. It is dated to the 4th century BC. e. Scientists managed to accurately reproduce a copy of the burial structure of the ancient nomadic tribes. They gave details and appearance, and the interior arrangement of the family tomb. Only noble representatives of the tribe and their relatives were buried in mounds.

old village

That can be seen in the settlement of the period of the Copper-Stone Age (Eneolithic) recreated by archaeologists. This ancient village is shown in actual size. The subsoil of its occurrence was the results in the village of Botai in the north of Kazakhstan.

Here you can see housing in the form of rounded semi-dugouts, because this form of housing was due to difficult climatic conditions.

Museum of Ethnography

All museum exhibits gathered in the Urals. The workers brought them to the reserve of the Chelyabinsk region and created here " Cossack estate". The prototype of this ethnographic museum is the house of the Dolgopolovs - Cossacks from the village of Varlamovo (late 19th - early 20th centuries). The museum has many household items from that period. Knowledgeable guides talk about the traditions and customs of the ancestors. Very interesting building Museum - "Dutch" windmill (tent type), standing near the house. It was built in Paris in 1929, after which it was transported to the Warsaw village, where it functioned successfully until the 60s of the twentieth century. In 1999, the mill was moved to a protected area.

Master classes are held in this museum for those who want to do needlework. Here, craftswomen can make a souvenir product with their own hands.

Camp of nomadic tribes

Relatively recently, that is, in 2010, a new building was recreated on the territory of Arkaim - a nomad camp. It consists of four yurts, where you can not only see with your own eyes how the nomads lived, but also stay.

Museum of Ancient Crafts

This unique building is equipped in a camp for tourists. Many admire the functioning stoves of impressive size. They were reconstructed in order to show what the kilns for firing ceramic products, heating, as well as furnaces for smelting metal products looked like. All things in the museum can be touched, which is especially liked by the kids.

shamanikha

Many people like to watch the sunrise and sunset from the slopes of Mount Shamanka, which is simply called Shamanikha. At the top of this ancient paleovolcano you can see a spiral of stone. It has 13 turns, which symbolizes the chain of incarnations for passage to paradise. There is a belief that those who walk the spiral with bare feet become one with their family tree, their sins are forgiven.

Mountain of Love

Behind the river Karaganka, in the upper tourist camp, rises highest mountain"Arkaima" - the mountain of Love. On one of its slopes you can see a spiral of stones. The Mountain of Love opens up a magnificent panorama of the camp and a view of Shamanikha.

Other protected areas of the region

reserves, National parks Chelyabinsk region - these are the places where everyone feels like a piece of mother nature. There are 3 reserves and 2 nature parks in the region. I must say that the reserves of the Chelyabinsk region, the list of which is not so long, have great historical, cultural and scientific value.

Thus, the Ilmensky Reserve is famous for such crystalline compounds as minerals (sapphire, garnet, topaz, etc.). This is the most famous nature reserve of the Chelyabinsk region. In fact, it contains almost all types of minerals. natural origin. They are presented at the exhibition of exhibits of the Natural Science Museum.

All reserves of the Chelyabinsk region are significant. The list of their names is replenished by the South Ural Reserve and the so-called radiation (East Ural). Their main task is to protect the natural fund.

Huge love of tourists and local population enjoy the reserves of the Chelyabinsk region, the names of which are chosen very well. So, for example, the national park "Taganai" from the Bashkir means "mountain of the rising moon." It's true amazing place from where the human eye opens beautiful mountain scenery and unique stone compositions. But one because of the characteristic rounded shape is called Kruglitsa. Zyuratkul Natural Park of national importance is also very popular among guests and residents of the region. A picturesque ecological path leads to its ridge.

Ural nature is charming. National parks, the Ilmensky Reserve will tell about its secrets, botanical reserves, archaeological and historical centers, reserve "Arkaim". The Chelyabinsk region allocated about 200 thousand hectares of land for natural monuments.

Boundless blue sky, misty morning haze over the river, a pearl scattering of stars, mesmerizing sunsets and the wind swaying the feather grass fields. Natalia Nazarova, an archaeologist from Chelyabinsk, talks about the Arkaim reserve, beautiful place in the south of the Chelyabinsk region.

Someone loves the mountains, someone loves the sea, and my friends and I are big fans of the steppes. The feeling when the horizon is visible for kilometers ahead, there is a huge blue sky above you, and your gaze glides over the endless grassy sea is priceless.

In the south of the Chelyabinsk region there are wonderful place where thousands of people visit every year. Some dream of touching the mysteries of history and archeology, others - to catch the energy flows supposedly passing here, others - to see wild beauty steppe Ural expanses. This place is the historical and natural reserve Arkaim.

I have been going on archaeological expeditions for many years and at one time worked as a guide on Arkaim. Therefore, I can talk endlessly about the beauty of the Ural steppes and the archaeological treasures hidden underground. In this article I will talk about Arkaim: what kind of place it is and why you need to go there.

How to get there, where to stay

Arkaim is located 500 km from Chelyabinsk and 700 from Yekaterinburg. If you live far from the Urals, then it makes sense to buy a plane ticket and fly to one of these cities. From Chelyabinsk to Arkaim can be reached by regular bus(bus is seasonal, runs from May to September), from Yekaterinburg - you need to buy a ticket in advance in one of travel companies traveling in the region. Many get to Arkaim in their cars: also a good option The roads here are relatively normal.

Local tourism is well developed on Arkaim. Eat small hotel, wooden houses and trailers. Extreme lovers spend the night in tents. There is no special luxury in these tourist houses, but you don’t count on a five-star European service in the very center of Russia, right? You can have a bite to eat in the dining room, plus there are many shops with homemade food and several shops. You won't get too far, but you won't get lost either.

A bit of history

In the late 80s, within the framework of the state program for the creation of reservoirs in the South Urals, large areas earth. And then one day an archaeological team, exploring the area for future flooding, discovered some strange circles on the ground. Scientists began to fight to ensure that the area did not go under water, and this struggle was crowned with success. After several years of research, it was found that scientists have found ancient city which has no analogues in the world. The found object was given the name Arkaim - after the name of a nearby mountain. And today, 30 years later, around this ancient settlement there is a reserve of the same name.

Why is it worth visiting Arkaim?

1. It's very beautiful here. Seriously! I am not a particularly sentimental person, but steppe sunsets and dawns, thunderclouds pouring rain on the horizon, fields of steppe feather grass waving in the wind - all this rarely leaves anyone indifferent. The peculiarity of the steppe is that there are huge open spaces around you, and there is nothing for the eye to catch on - and this makes it so light in the head, easy to think, easy to breathe, easy to live.

2. There is something to see here. First, this historical objects. The ancient settlement of Arkaim itself, historical Museum, museum of ancient industries, old mill, reconstruction of a Cossack house, reconstruction of dwellings ancient man, reconstruction of an ancient burial site belonging to one of the local nomadic tribes. In the summer, archaeologists work here - you can come in, get acquainted and peep the work of scientists in the field. You can go to all historical sites accompanied by a guide - and if you are lucky and the guide is not a bore, you can find out a lot interesting information. Secondly, a bonus for mountain lovers. Arkaim is located in the steppe zone, but historically there are small mountains here. It is difficult to call them full-fledged mountains, but, nevertheless, to climb their peaks, you will need some effort. There are several mountains on the territory of the reserve, the closest and highest are Shamanka and Grachinaya. The second is also called the Mountain of Love, and midnight tourists watching the beautiful starry sky, often stumble about couples in love who decide to spend the night in the open air with maximum romance.

3. Here you can take a break from the city. Telephone networks catch badly, with the Internet it also does not always add up, there are few people. A paradise for those who want to put things aside and be alone with themselves and nature.

Arkaim is also known as an esoteric center. They say that energy flows supposedly pass here, which have a beneficial effect on the body and bring people all sorts of benefits: happiness, good luck, health, and so on. Believe it or not - it's up to you, but I would not recommend buying excursions from dubious personalities offering to take you to the Wishing Stone, for example, and bury money there for future financial flows in your pocket. Better spend them on a geological master class!

A few tips:

1. Be sure to take a sun hat and warm clothes with you on your trip. The weather in the steppe is an unpredictable thing; in one day, heat at 40 degrees can happen, and hail, and downpour, and anything you like. Seriously, once in July in the morning there was frost on the tents.

2. take sunscreens and cream for chapped skin. The wind here is constant: weak or strong, it is always there, so it’s better to put on smears right away, otherwise irritations and a burnt red nose cannot be avoided.

3. Near Arkaim there is a small village. For a small fee, you can ask for local residents visit and plunge into the world of a simple Russian village: pigs, cows, chickens, a tractor in the yard, a vegetable garden. The contrast with city life is striking!

4. Stock up on mosquito repellant.

5. The cost of housing - from 200 rubles for a place under a tent to 2,000 rubles for hotel room. The cost of excursions is from 50 to 250 rubles. You can visit master classes in pottery, geology, and the creation of traditional cloth dolls.

Russia has a huge number interesting places, where you should come, and Arkaim is one of them! Get out of the house, discover the beauty of the Ural steppes!

Arkaim- it's leftovers ancient city-civilization, a fortified settlement of the Bronze Age, located in the Chelyabinsk region. Located in the so-called. " Country of cities", on the banks of the river Bolshaya Karaganka, not far from the village. Amursky Bredinsky district and the village of Aleksandrovsky Kizilsky district of the Chelyabinsk region and is a historical monument.

The Arkaim reserve is unique at least four times

Firstly, it is an ancient city of Sintashta culture. This historical monument dates back to the 2nd - 3rd millennium BC. e. (according to radiocarbon analysis, the remains of the city are already about 3600 - 3900 years old). Moreover, this is not just a parking lot of ancient people, it was a fortified city with a fairly high level of culture, as evidenced by the buildings themselves - fortifications, irrigation and sewage systems, streets and houses, as well as finds in houses and burials.

Secondly, the city can be recognized as a miracle only because the settlement was actually discovered by accident, and it was managed to be preserved as a historical and cultural monument.

Arkaim was discovered in 1987, when archaeologists, along with geologists and surveyors, carried out a hasty survey of the area in Chelyabinsk region, where the construction of the Karagan reservoir has already begun - significant funds have already been invested and National economy needed to build a dam as soon as possible. Scientists hardly managed to defend their discovery - unlike many ancient sites, cities and settlements that were flooded reservoirs and ponds.

Arkaim could have been destroyed many times - by time, fires, nomads or conquerors who crossed many times south Ural steppes. However, it miraculously survived, and is now turned into a historical monument.

Thirdly, many legends and myths have been created about him, often contradictory and different. According to one version, a Zoroastrian ended his life here. prophet Zarathustra(Zoroaster). On the other, that in the depths of one of the hills Arkaim- Mount Shamanka - there is an ancient spaceship of aliens. According to the third version, if you wash your face and hands in the Karaganka River, on the banks of which the ancient city is located, youth returns. According to another version, Mount Reason visited the hill himself Jesus Christ. Finally, according to one of the scientific hypotheses, Arkaim is not just an ancient city, it is a specially equipped space observatory, according to another, these are the ruins of the settlement of the majestic civilization of the Aryans, who are the progenitors of the peoples inhabiting territories from Europe to India.

It is not difficult to understand why many tourists are skeptical about this monument - a hoax that they want to see with their own eyes. Surprisingly, according to many who have visited this mysterious place, complex Arkaim it really has a special aura and mood, it breathes and feels easier here, and the air itself seems to be saturated with the secrets of antiquity and mysticism.

Esotericists, on the other hand, consider it a “place of power” and regularly visit it.

Fourth, he is a unique monument both the history of nature and ancient culture, and traditional culture. Feature - a special unity natural nature and culture. The Arkaim reserve is both a natural landscape and a historical and archaeological museum.

Fifth, Museum-Reserve Arkaim is a rare opportunity for tourists to look into mysterious world archaeological sites, usually open only to a narrow circle of specialists.

Natural-historical complex Arkaim is located on the territory of about 20 thousand square meters, about half is the area of ​​archaeological excavations.

On the territory are located:

• - a fortified settlement surrounded by two rings of walls (inside 2 circular "streets", a square, dwellings, a sewerage and wastewater disposal system)
• - burial grounds - several mounds with large grave "fields" and "pits" (especially striking is the abundance and richness of clothing and jewelry in the graves)
• - "country of cities" (a group of settlements scattered at a distance of several tens of kilometers around Arkaim;there are traces from the sites of the Stone Age people to the Cossack settlements of the 18th century)
• - natural landscape museum: Mount of Reason, Mount Shamanka, Mount of Love and Mount of Repentance (all this modern titles, of the original names, only Mount Arkaim remained)

For lovers of outdoor activities in the Urals, Arkaim open since 1996 - organized tours and compiled several routes for visitors. Now many companies that offer tours in the Urals organize trips to Arkaim.

Excursions around museum-reserve include:

• - sightseeing tour in the natural and historical park Arkaim
• - visit to Arkaim settlement
• - excursions around the museum "Man and Nature"
• - visit to the museum - the Temir mound - the burial place of the Sarmatian leader
• - visit to the museum "Ancient technologies" (Museum of furnaces)
• - visiting the museum "Cossack estate"
• - visit to the museum "Nomad's Yurt"
• - climbing mountains, meeting the dawn and much more.

Except tourist routes and museums Arkaim offers tourists:

• - practical lesson in weaving
• - lesson "Technology of pottery production"
• - workshop "Making a folk doll"
• - practical lesson "Technologies for the manufacture of stone tools in antiquity"