Members of the Student archaeological squad "Lin'" at the KGIOP meeting
The student archaeological squad "Lin'" of the St Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering spent its tenth anniversary work season in the South Kuban archaeological expedition of the State Hermitage Museum in the Krasnodar Territory.
With the active assistance of the fighters, research continued during the 2025 field season on a unique Early Scythian monument, distinguished by the richness and diversity of its archaeological finds in the Trans-Kuban region.
The work was carried out under the supervision of Tatyana Ryabkova, PhD of Historical Sciences, senior research fellow, custodian of the Scythian collections of the Department of Archaeology of Eastern Europe and Siberia of the State Hermitage Museum.
"The Tarasova Balka monument was discovered during the exploration of the Razmennye Kurgans, where we found several bronze and iron objects, arrowheads, parts of horse-bits, and ceramic fragments. It was necessary to examine the entire mound to identify signs and traces of ancient Greek interaction with this region.
We have been systematically studying the Tarasova Balka site since 2012. Geomagnetic surveys revealed areas of positive magnetic anomalies within the site, indicating the presence of clusters of objects. Initially, we assumed the site belonged to a settlement. However, during our research, we determined that this site could be characterized as a ritual complex or sanctuary dating back to the early Scythian period.
"It represents the remains of sacrificial sites around an ash pit in the center of the hill. Ritual activities included the construction of stone pavements, the lighting of fires on adobe altars with sides or portable braziers, the destruction of horse bridles and harnesses, clay vessels, and the slaughter of animals. After the rituals, the altars were destroyed, and the bones and pebbles from the pavements were collected and piled in the center of the hill," she said.
For the past 10 years, the SPbGASU student archaeological squad "Lin'" has been participating in archaeological expeditions with the support of the Committee for State Control, Use, and Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments of the Government of St Petersburg (KGIOP).
KGIOP Chairman Aleksey Mikhailov noted: "I always tell my colleagues that preserving cultural heritage sites isn't a job, but a mission. Interacting with history is a very interesting, diverse, and, most importantly, meaningful endeavor. You understand the foundations and reasons for your actions, you realize that the future lies with you, because when we preserve monuments, we, among other things, pass on a piece of ourselves to future generations. Finding this sense of purpose is one of the reasons we support the student archaeological squad.
For the guys, this is a very important experience of "field romance," communication, interaction, and immersion in history. They learn to carefully work with monuments, connecting with the origins of cultural heritage. Perhaps this expedition inspired some of the students to continue their self-development and self-improvement in archaeology and history. After working with a cultural heritage site, and perhaps especially an archaeological one, people approach details and fragments completely differently, realizing their fragility. Such a person will never commit acts of vandalism and, perhaps, will tell their family and friends why it is so important to preserve historical monuments."
.jpg)
Commander of the "Lin'" squad Eduard Kasyanov and Aleksey MikhailovFormer squad leader Daria Obukhova, who led the students on this trip, noted that "the squad is not only about investing in history and archeology, but also about investing in building personalities as such, learning how to interact in a team, support, and help each other."
"We worked in the excavations, cleaning them out," Daria said. "Working in the pits was very interesting and unusual for us. We also carried out laboratory work—carefully washing the fragments and sorting them. The team included artists who meticulously 'rendered' all the details, like a puzzle, and assembled the ceramic pieces.
Among the unusual aspects of this expedition was that we all acquired the invaluable and useful skill of cooking over a fire. We carried drinking water from a spring. Expedition member Aleksandr built us showers, which certainly made everyday life much easier.
Every weekend was a truly unforgettable adventure—we tried to visit interesting places and attractions nearby. Of course, everyone especially remembered the trip to Dombay, a gift from Tatyana Vladimirovna Ryabkova.
I'd like to express my gratitude to KGIOP for giving us the opportunity to go on expeditions like these and spend our student lives so vibrantly and interestingly. In our group, we used to say, "During the season, we build character." And it's true, because here we not only work, but also invest in ourselves and each other."
Daria Obukhova talking about the squad's season
The student archaeological squad "Lin'" is already preparing for the expedition 2026.
The material was prepared based on information from KGIOP.
The student squads movement is actively developing at SPbGASU: currently, our university has nine units with various focuses. You can learn more about them here.
