September 27, 2021

Kremlin Finally Gets Around to Clearing Out Old Basement


Kremlin Finally Gets Around to Clearing Out Old Basement
"Can't you get rid of this one? After all, you never use it." A late-medieval pot, found at the Kremlin. Russian Institute of Archaeology

It's good every now and then to clean out the parts of your house where stuff has accumulated. For the Kremlin, that means digging down to examine what Muscovites of centuries past have left behind.

Archeologists from the Russian Institute of Archeology finished a major dig at the heart of the Moscow Kremlin last week, uncovering some fascinating finds.

Scientists found several artifacts from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when rubble was used to level the Kremlin for construction. In addition to fragments of pottery, construction material, and tiles, several coins and the foundations of a handful of estates–likely the former abodes of Russia's old nobility–were also discovered.

Further, several fourteenth-century finds, including rings and jewelry from Bulgaria and the Byzantine Empire and several iron objects.

The most interesting find, perhaps, was a fifteenth- or sixteenth-century irrigation bowl, decorated with abstract designs and faces.

The Kremlin's location, high on a hill alongside a river, means that it has always been a great spot for human settlement, with defensive advantages and easy access to water and transportation. Artifacts dated back to the Iron Age, when a small settlement was located near the Archangel Cathedral.

If the Kremlin decides to hold a garage sale for this stuff, we'll be there. Maybe they'll sell it online?

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.
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.
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.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
December 01, 2008

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.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, 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