May 09, 2021

The Past in the Past: Reading a Book about Soviet Archaeology


The Past in the Past: Reading a Book about Soviet Archaeology
Surprisingly delightful reading material. Photo and coffee table by the author.

Bibliophiles know that old tomes found in the backs of musty used book stores often make great gifts (books in online stores make great gifts, too!). With this in mind, it's hardly a surprise that my wife, knowing well my passions for old books, Russia, and archaeology, got me a 1961 book, Archaeology in the U.S.S.R., as a gift last Christmas.

The text is an English translation from a Russian scholar named A.L. Mongait. Dr. Mongait, it seems, was passionate about showing the West that Soviet archaeology was just as good as that elsewhere, and so he teamed up with Pelican Books and an English-speaking scholar to prove it. The book is a testament to the scientific prowess of the Soviet Union, reveling in the extensive work done on Russian lands. While the book does have pictures and diagrams (the cover touts "nearly 91 illustrations," meaning there are exactly 90), I've opted instead to use photos from the Hermitage Museum and my own adventures, since they're easier to see and much less grainy.

Overlooking the fact that I got literal Soviet propaganda for Christmas, it's right up my alley and offers a fascinating diversion before bed. While the Hermitage may be one of Russia's most-visited cultural treasures, every time I go, I'm drawn to the western side of the first floor of the Winter Palace. It's only accessible by a little-used staircase (it's near the one that was stormed in 1917, as marked by a marble plaque), and you get the sense that you aren't supposed to be there, but it's where all of the goodies from Russian lands are housed. You can see Greek statues anywhere; a 2500-year-old Siberian chariot, only here.

A basement hallway in the Hermitage
Who knows what's in those boxes? The quiet first floor of the Hermitage, home to some of its most enthralling treasures. | Griffin Edwards

What the book covers is extensive. As it was written in 1961, the territory addressed includes swathes of Central Eurasia, Ukraine, Crimea, and the Caucasus, places that are their own countries now (at least when international law is respected).

It is remarkable how breathlessly Mongait walks through the history of Soviet lands. From what must have been miserable semi-subterranean chalcolithic hovels to steppe kurgan burials to the glorious medieval palaces and libraries of Bactria, the implication is that Russia's wealth of past material culture and extensive work in archaeology demonstrates the greatness of Soviet society. At times, he even gets a little too carried away: the translator, an M.W. Thompson, sometimes replaces a tangent with a little snide, signed, bracketed commentary along the lines of: "[The author then gives a list of excavated sites. T.]". My favorite reads: "[This argument is ingenious but not wholly convincing. T.]".

Pazyryk chariot
Nice wheels: a complete chariot from a burial of the Pazyryk culture, 500 BC, Siberia. | State Hermitage Museum

Mongait is bragging, plain and simple. But there's a lot of cool stuff on offer, from excavated wine presses in Crimea to frescoes in Novgorod to Volga hill forts to coin hoards. A lot of the goods he mentions you can still see today, down in that quiet corner of the old Romanov place.

Central Eurasian plate
Since my name is "Griffin," is this a self-portrait?
A late-antiquity plate from the Soviet lands in Central Eurasia | Griffin Edwards

But what is most fascinating, I think, is the way Mongait approaches history. Scientists typically strive to be bias-free; they make educated guesses, but it's imperative to let the evidence point you towards your conclusion. Sure, people approach things with preconceived notions, but basic academic training should teach you to suppress that when doing serious scholarly work.

However, here, Mongait's communist sympathies are on full display, and, I would argue, demonstrates a major problem with Marxist scholarship. Mongait knows already that the world works exactly how Marx, Engels, and Lenin have said it does (in fact, he cites this trio more frequently than any real scientist). Thus, everything he relates is through this lens.

Tools are the most valuable things to find when excavating, says, Mongait. Why? Because they're the means of production, which is the most important part of society. Neolithic man may have been living in squalor and dying at age 30 from sepsis caused by a horsefly bite, but hey, at least there was no pesky private property to worry about. Social stratification is a key part of understanding a culture; whether the society is "tribal," "slave-holding," or "feudal" tells you the stage of development on the deterministic, one-way road towards the inevitable Marxist utopia that would, of course, end with the USSR.

Scythian axe
Not sure about you, but I think the chariot is way cooler than this piece of 2700-year-old Scythian battleaxe.
Which is saying something, because battleaxes are pretty badass anyway. | State Hermitage Museum

I'm a sucker for historiography; I think it's fascinating to see how people perceive their place in time, how they're situated between the past and future, and what they think the past is telling them (hence this blog post, and this one). Russia isn't alone – everyone sees their history in one way or another – but Mongait's book is a fascinating look at how Soviet scholars thought of history, and it's been a wild ride to read in 2021.

And, the next time you're in Petersburg, do check out the first floor of the Hermitage! It's a quiet refuge from hordes of tourists, and it's well worth it to check out cool stuff like this ancient ink:

Mummified arm
A piece of a mummified, tattooed arm from the Siberian burial site of a tribal chieftain, 500 BC. | State Hermitage Museum

You Might Also Like

Natalia Shishlina, archaeologist

Natalia Shishlina, archaeologist

In Russia’s southern regions there is a huge expanse of steppe called the Eurasian Belt. For thousands of years, this “belt” was the home for nomadic tribes. Natalia Shishlina, 40, is one of the few archaeologists in the world who studies these lost cultures.
The Valley of the Dead
  • March 01, 2021

The Valley of the Dead

A severe, remote valley in Ossetia inters the remains of one of Russia’s most revered film stars... and the mingled bones of countless ancients.
What Lies Beneath
  • May 01, 2021

What Lies Beneath

On the architectural heritage of Moscow that is being lost, bit by bit, though not without some resistance by dedicated scientists and activists.
Beneath Kremlin Walls
  • March 01, 2010

Beneath Kremlin Walls

Hundreds of layers of history lie buried beneath the cobblestones and brick walls of Moscow's Kremlin. But accessing them requires negotiating with the current residents of the crenellated fortress.
Sleeping on Graveyards
  • May 01, 2007

Sleeping on Graveyards

The Khakass are one of Russia's most ethnically complex nationalities. Their numbers are dwindling in the distant province that surrounds the headwaters of the mighty Yenisey river.
Ancient Peoples of the Russian Steppes
  • September 27, 2007

Ancient Peoples of the Russian Steppes

Scythians, Sarmatians, Amazons; all ancient inhabitants of Russia's southern steppes. These Mesopotamic, nomadic tribes were feared warriors and accomplished horsemen who warded off the mightiest rulers including Darius and Alexander.
Kosmonaughties
  • April 21, 2021

Kosmonaughties

“A**holes. Superpowers do not behave that way." – On April 13, Roscosmos head Dmitriy Rogozin criticized the U.S. Department of State in a Tweet for failing to mention Yuri Gagarin in a Facebook post that commemorates 60 years since the first man flew in space. Such a pity to forget who got there first.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.
93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955