This laboratory is the largest Russian center for the study of literature of old believers and old believers’ communities as an immense layer of Russian culture. Archaeological study of Siberian region includes the Russian Far East and Kazakhstan. Started in the 60-ies, it is still continued today in the following areas:
- Field Archaeography – the collecting books for future preservation, the study of “dormant” books from old libraries, and the description of books which are still circulating in their holders’ communities;
- Cameral Archaeography – the study and detailed description of books available in funds of the Department of Rare Books and Manuscripts at the State Public Scientific Techological Library of the Russian Academy of Sciences which has one of the largest collections of manuscripts and ancient books, and the study of rare books stored in other archives of Siberia and the Far East. This work contributes to the creation of “United catalog of manuscripts, ancient and rare books in collections of Siberia and the Far East”;
- Editional Archaeography – the creating of a digital complex of old believers’ communities libraries, which is a part of a project called “Rare Books of Siberia”. The work includes making a detailed description for each manuscript, and publishing handwritten books which are kept in Siberia and are known for their considerable scientific and national significance d the Far East”.
The research goes in collaboration with the Department of Rare Books and Manuscripts at the State Public Scientific and Techological Library (SPSTL) (Head of the Department, Candidate of Philology, honored worker of culture of the Russian Federation Andrey Borodikhin.
Head of the branch – Doctor of Philology, Professor Elena Ivanovna Dergacheva-Skop
Laboratory of Ancient Literatures and Literary Source Studies
“Rare Books of Siberia”, project website 