An ancient axe found on the territory of the Kirillo-Belozersky Museum Reserve indicates that people lived on this site before the construction of the monastery. This was reported by archaeologists, who discovered a unique find – a shale axe of the IV millennium BC, which survived intact until today. The find indicates that this place was suitable for life as early as 6,000 years ago.
The 3.2 x 7 x 2 cm axe was made from schist, a local rock that can be polished. It was used for everything from chopping wood to making tools. Despite the fact that archaeological excavations have been conducted quite often recently in the museum-reserve, archaeologists noted that the territory of the monastery is surveyed by only 15-20%. Next in line is the study of the areas near the Cookery and the Forge Tower.
As the director of LLC “Vologda Archaeology” Alexei Uglanov, who took part in the excavations, noted, this find is very important for the study of the history of the region. “The find indicates that this place was convenient for life already 6,000 years ago. Even back then, people were using these tools. At the time of the foundation of the monastery, the builders did not understand what this object was, did not study it, but still used it for their needs. For example, as a wedge between logs”, – said Uglanov.
According to the press secretary of the museum-reserve Maria Haustova, the slate axe was found on the territory of the Ivanovo monastery, which is part of the ensemble of the Kirillo-Belozersky museum-reserve. “There is a camp, a settlement “Kirillov-1″, which was excavated by Ilya Papin and Alexander Suvorov in 1998. There are scattered findings of Neolithic time and the Iron Age”, – the press service quotes the words of the head of the expedition Anna Anikina.
In addition to the axe, archaeologists have found many other objects dating from the XV-XIX centuries, such as architectural and domestic pottery, fragments of a glass vessel of the XVII century with a medallion with four beads-balls, a candle of the XVII century, iron wrought iron XVI century, castles of the same period, made in Vologda, and many other fragments. A well-preserved fifteenth-century hair comb, found at the Little Merezhnaya Tower, was a surprise.
According to Mikhail Sharomazov, General Director of the Kirillo-Belozersky Museum-Reserve, archaeological excavations on the territory of the ensemble of the monastery were conducted in 2015. Then, in the pits at the walls of the XVI and XVII centuries and in the excavations near the churches of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Baptist, specialists of the scientific and production center “Antiquities” under the guidance of researcher Anna Anikina found 190 items.
In conclusion, we can say that this find is very important for the study of the history of the region. A shale axe from the 4th millennium B.C. indicates that people lived on this site even before the monastery appeared. Archaeological excavations continue, and there may be many more interesting finds waiting to be discovered.
