The Crimea and Khakassia are waiting for the volunteers

The Russian Geographical Society launches the contest for participation in two archeological expeditions: « Acre - the ancient city of Bosporus» and «The mysteries of ancient artists of Siberia». The first of them will take place in Crimea from the 10^th of June to the 10^th of July – in the Republic of Khakassia form the 1^st of July to the 10^th of August.

The main objective of the Crimean expedition (it will be based in the Naberezhnoe of Leninsky district of Crimea) – to explore the coastal and underwater part of the ancient city of Acre, which used to be a part of the Bosporan kingdom. Unlike Olvia, Hersonissos and other antique cities of Crimea, Acra, which turned up to be completely under water, is being well preserved – as no large-scale dredging had been  conducted in that place. That is why the excavations in Acra are about to be sensational. A special dam is being built for the survey of the ancient city, and the volunteers of the Russian Geographical Society will take part in works. A part of them will participate in ground excavations, and the others will take part in underground excavations.

The expedition of Khakassia will study two burials of Itkol II. They are the burials of Okunev culture, which are complex in excavation, and there are small sculptures and the applied art subjects likely to be found. Complex and expressive paintings made on rocks can be found around Itkol. The work is being led by experts in the Okunev culture - Abakan archaeologist Yuri Esin and his St. Petersburg colleagues Andrei Polyakov, Igor Lazaretov and Sergey Morozov, who have been engaged in this subject for about 10 years. The findings are about to be transferred to the State Hermitage.

The volunteers of the Russian Geographical Society will play an important role in the both expeditions. They will dive into the atmosphere of a scientific expedition and get acquainted with historic and cultural monuments of the first magnitude, which are just about to be explored.

Travel, accommodation and meals for volunteers is free.

The contest for participation in the expeditions to Acra and to Itkol is being conducted on the website of the Russian Geographical Society, and the requirements for volunteers are announced there as well. The registration for the expedition «Acra – is antique city of Bospora» is being conducted from the 20^th of April till the 19^th of May, and the submitted applications will be considered by the selection committee from the 19^th of May to the 27^th of May, 2016. You may apply for participation «The mysteries of ancient artists of Siberia» expedition from the 20^th of April to the 6^th of June, and the applications will be considered from the 6^th to the 14^th of June.