Archaeologists search for antiquities: Perm's Bogotolskiy in Krasnodar Krai closes for several years
In the heart of Bogotolsky Pereulok, a major construction project unfolds: archaeologists are digging beneath the feet of Aftonovo Hill, preparing for the road reconstruction. The roadway will be under a long overdue makeover—it currently allows for passage from Copylovsky Bridge directly to Ulitsa Novosibirskaya, a narrow, twisty road with one-way traffic.
Before beginning the roadwork, archaeological excavations were necessary, as Bogotolsky Pereulok runs alongside Aftonovo Hill—a site of federal archaeological significance. Time and again, artifacts have been discovered on this site, with many of these finds housed in the Hermitage and even showcased at the Louvre.
Last year, the city administration found a contractor for the excavations (but not without bureaucratic issues with UFAS), at a cost of 165 million rubles—originally quoted at 212 million. The work will be carried out by OOO "Elar."
The contractor will likely uncover an entire complex of landmarks—settlements "Aftonovo Hill-I," "Aftonovo Hill-II," "Aftonovo Hill-III," "Aftonovo Hill-IV," and "Krasnoyarsk. Ground Cemetery 'Bogotolskiy'" as stipulated in the contract. All specified tasks must be completed by December 31.
The first discoveries at the excavation site were made 140 years ago: archaeologists found tools and fauna from the Paleolithic era, which brought Krasnoyarsk global recognition among scholars. As archaeologist Zoya Gaikodova explains, the team's objective during these excavations is to locate artifacts from the same time period.
So far, early findings in the excavation include a scraper, over 11,000 years old—the first butchering knife of Neolithic human life. Also uncovered are the remains of a Paleolithic animal, likely a bison. Archaeologists will manually examine the soil to a depth of 5 meters across all excavated sites.
Since June 16, the portion of the alleyway between buildings No. 8 and No. 8a along Ulitsa Menzhinskogo has been closed for passage. Signs and barriers will be installed nearby. In the coming days, the section from Ulitsa Kopylova to Menzhinskoy dom No. 8 will also be closed.
Naturally, this will affect the route of bus No. 90, previously running through Bogotolsky Pereulok, which will no longer take turns there. Instead, it will continue along Kopylova, make a right onto Laado Ketskhoveli, and then turn onto Ulitsa Novosibirskaya.
As a result, the stops "Bogotolskiy Pereulok," "Menzhinskoy," "Rynok Slavyanskii," and "Novosibirskaya" will be removed from the route, but "Kopylovskiy Most," "Ploshchad imeni Stepnova," and "Nikolayevskaya Sloboda" will be added.
The department of city planning explains that the closure of Bogotolsky Pereulok will last for 2.5 years—until both the excavations and the actual road reconstruction are completed, work that will start next year. This new 676-meter-long road will be expanded to four lanes and will connect Ulitsy Kopylova and Novosibirskaya. The new road will also feature proper sidewalks and safe bus stops, and traffic signals will be installed.
So, brace yourself for the upcoming 2.5 years of traffic snarls.
[Pictures: city hall, DELA, Megalithic]
In light of the upcoming archaeological excavations and road reconstruction, residents and commuters may want to stay updated on the latest news regarding the progress of the project along Bogotolsky Pereulok. Additionally, health-and-wellness and mental-health advocates might find it interesting that the dig site is believed to contain a wealth of historical knowledge, potentially offering insights into the lives and culture of our ancestors, contributing to the expansion of science.
