On October 4, 2025 the Geopager Archaeology team representing the Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences successfully passed the qualification stage of the Expedition. Earth All-Russian Technological Contest organized by the NTI Fund and the Agency for Strategic Initiatives. A total of 24 teams from Russian regions participated in the contest, seven of which reached the finals, including Geopager Archaeology. The contest is aimed at developing application methods and technologies for unmanned ground vehicles designed to detect and classify objects on the surface and underground at a depth of up to five meters. Testing takes place in real settings – at archaeological and engineer reconnaissance sites. Expedition. Earth therefore combines technical creativity, advanced robotics and practical tasks of archaeology to create a unique platform for interaction between engineers and humanitarians. The Geopager Archaeology team unites experts and organizations representing both academic and applied science. It includes the Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, the Scientific Research Laboratory of Quantum Magnetometry of the Ural Federal University, PROFTSIFRA LLC, Quantum Magnetic Pipe Test LLC and New Geodetic Systems LLC. The Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Khalikov has a significant capacity and experience in the field of implementing high-technology solutions in archaeology. Over the last several years the Institute has actively developed geophysical surveys, digital recording and cultural layer data analysis using the contemporary methods of magnetometry, georadar probing and 3D modeling. Due to these competencies, the team successfully passed qualification tests, proving the high integration level of scientific knowledge and engineering solutions. The team is preparing for final trials which will take place in areas with real archaeological sites. At the next stage, the participants will solve tasks of finding hidden artefacts and elements of ancient structures using robotic complexes, sensors and spatial data analysis systems.

On September 25-27, 2025 the Astrakhan State University named after V.N. Tatischev hosted the Scientific Field Seminar “The Lower Volga Region in the Middle Ages”. The event was organized by the Astrakhan State University named after V.N. Tatischev, the Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, the Mari State University, the Belgorod State University and the Astrakhan company Arkheotsentr LLC. The seminar was attended by 29 researchers from eight Russian cities. The plenary meeting on the first day was opened by representatives of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Astrakhan Oblast, Prorector of Astrakhan State University Ekaterina Pakhomova, President of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences Rifkat Minnikhanov, Director of the Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences Ayrat Sitdikov and Director of the Astrakhan Museum-Reserve Aleksey Bulychev. After eight reports, the participants visited the Archaeology. Expedition. Museum exhibition at Zeughaus exhibition complex in Astrakhan Kremlin. On the second day, the participants went on a road trip to archaeological sites of the Migration and Khazar periods. At Kirakle-tobe, Maly Kostyube-1 and Baraniy bugor settlements, tours were guided by Deputy Director of Arkheotsentr LLC Damir Soloviev, Assistant Professor of the Belgorod State University Vladimir Sarapulkin and Senior Research Associate of the Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Khalikov Renat Valiev. Then, featured reports were presented at Semibugry school. The last day of the seminar was dedicated to the Golden Horde. The participants visited Krasnoyarskoye settlement, a mausoleum complex near Lapas village and Selitrennoye settlement. Daria Belyanina from Arkheotsentr and Sergey Kotenkov from the Caspian Branch of the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences presented a report at Krasnoyarsk Museum. The tour of mausoleums and excavations at Selitrennoye settlement was guided by Director of the Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Khalikov Ayrat Sitdikov and Leading Research Associate of the Institute of Anthropology and Ethnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences Emma Zilivinskaya. At the seminar, the participants discussed the topical issues related to studies of medieval towns and monuments of the Lower Volga, witnessed the results of most recent field studies and familiarized with the newest discoveries.

A new exhibition dedicated to the Narovchat settlement, the ancient Golden Horde city of Nurijan, opened on September 24, 2025. Hosted at the Museum of History of the Statehood of the Tatar People and the Republic of Tatarstan in the Kazan Kremlin, it showcases the deep historical ties between this important site and the Tatar people. The exhibition features over 200 artifacts discovered during archaeological investigations of the Narovchat site. It also showcases the results of work by the Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, conducted as a part of the state program of the Republic of Tatarstan, “Preservation of the National Identity of the Tatar People.” This program focuses on the historical and archaeological study of medieval cities and the historical and cultural Turkic-Tatar heritage located outside the republic. The exhibition was organized by the Kazan Kremlin State Historical and Architectural Museum-Reserve, the Institute of Archaeology TAS, the Narovchat District Museum-Reserve of the Penza Region, and the Penza Museum of Regional Studies. The opening ceremony featured welcoming addresses by A.A. Timerkhanov, Vice-President TAS; R.R. Salikhov, Academic Secretary of the Department of Humanities TAS and Director of the Institute of History named after Sh. Mardjani TAS ; S.V. Skudin, Head of the Narovchat District; A.G. Sokhryakov, Director of the Narovchat District Museum-Reserve; K.M. Vinnicek, Deputy Director of the Penza Museum of Regional Studies; and I.M. Mirgaleev, Head of the M.A. Usmanov Center for Research on the Golden Horde and the Tatar Khanates at the Institute of History TAS. Such initiatives are particularly valuable as they promote the popularization of scientific knowledge and foster a careful attitude towards historical memory, especially for the Tatar people, whose roots are deeply intertwined with the history of the Golden Horde and its legacy. This exhibition continues a series of projects dedicated to the Golden Horde cities of the Volga region. Previously, the Kazan Kremlin hosted an exhibition about the city of Ukek and the exhibition project “In search of ancient kingdoms…” which were visited by over 25,000 people. Future plans include organizing exhibitions dedicated to other capital cities of the Golden Horde. Preparations are currently underway for an exhibition focusing on city of Qasim (Kasimov), the capital of the Qasim Khanate. For many years, the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences has been conducting systematic archaeological studies at the Golden Horde period sites along the Lower Volga, including the Narovchat settlement, as part of the state program “Preservation of the National Identity of the Tatar People.” This underscores the importance of studying the Turkic-Tatar historical and cultural legacy both within and beyond the republic’s borders. The research findings have significantly expanded our understanding of the history of this city and its role in the Golden Horde. According to some sources, it was in Narovchat that Uzbek Khan decided to declare Islam the state religion of the Golden Horde, a move that profoundly influenced the subsequent history and culture of the peoples inhabiting the Golden Horde. The exhibition will be open until February 15, 2026.

KAZAN, September 19, 2025 — At the Kazan Digital Week–2025 International Forum, Guzel M. Saifutdinova, Head of Department of Geoinformation Technology at the Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, was awarded a diploma for the best scientific paper. Her work, “Geoinformation systems and 3D reconstruction:iIntegration of methods for the preservation of archaeological heritage sites,” won in the “Digital technologies in culture” category. It is noteworthy that this is the second victory for specialists of the Institute of Archaeology TAS at this prestigious competition in two years. Last year, first place was awarded to the paper “Online GIS ‘Cultural heritage of Tatarstan and the Tatar people’: development prospects”. The award ceremony was attended by the President of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences Rifkat N. Minnikhanov and Minister of Digitalization of Public Administration, Information Technologies and Communications of Tatarstan Ayrat R. Khayrullin, who personally presented the award to the winner. The research by Guzel Saifutdinova demonstrates an innovative approach to preserving archaeological heritage using modern digital technologies. The paper has been published in the forum’s official proceedings and is available on the event’s website at the following link: https://kazandigitalweek.com/upload/doc/results/2025/sbornik_2025.pdf This achievement highlights the leading role of the Republic of Tatarstan in the development of digital technologies and their application for cultural heritage preservation.