Silk Road archaeological research center opens Altai branch in Russia

(ECNS)-- The Altai branch of the Silk Road Archaeological Cooperation Research Center was inaugurated at Altai State University in Russia on Wednesday.

The branch will focus on joint archaeological research in the Altai Mountains and surrounding areas, supporting a four-country cooperation mechanism involving China, Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan.

Research will focus on the formation and development of early nomadic civilizations and cultural exchanges along the grassland Silk Road.

The center aims to establish a shared system of regional archaeological data and literature, promote the use of digital technologies such as remote sensing in cultural heritage research, strengthen joint training of researchers and exchanges among young scholars, and develop a cross-border, interdisciplinary research platform for Eurasian steppe archaeology.

The event also included a series of academic activities, including the launch of a trilingual (Chinese, Russian and English) archaeological catalog titled From Animal Husbandry to Nomadism: Archaeological Cultures of the Altai Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, a symposium on archaeological research in the Altai Mountains-Tianshan region, the start of this year's joint Sino-Russian archaeological survey and excavation, and field visits to large tombs and rock art sites in the Altai region.

(By Tang Yuxian)