Archaeological Studies of St Petersburg by the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences

During recent years, researchers from the Institute for the History of Material Culture (IHMC) RAS conducted a series of large-scale archaeological investigations in St Petersburg, Russia. The volume and character of these investigations varied from archaeological supervision of earthworks to large excavations. They have yielded valuable information on the presence, situation, and type of cultural layers within the area of the city and Leningrad oblast, as well as on the tragic fate of the first builders of St Petersburg. These studies, in addition, provided more exact historical data on town planning in the city. The archaeological investigations were conducted at about 100 points within the territory of St Petersburg and its surroundings. This short paper presents an account of some of the most importantinvestigations