Archaeologists of the Nizhny Novgorod Museum-Reserve summarized the results of the field season.

      On August 15, 2026, at 18:35, Culture and Recreation A joint archaeological expedition of the Nizhny Novgorod Museum-Reserve and the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences has completed the field season of 2026 at the Zvyaginsky burial ground, located in the Vachsky municipal district of the Nizhny Novgorod region. The study of this archaeological site has been of interest to specialists for the fourth year under the auspices of the Russian Historical Society and with the support of Nizhny Novgorod State University named after N.I. Lobachevsky. Over four field seasons, archaeologists have investigated 132 burials from the 7th to 11th centuries over an area of about 3,500 square meters. To date, this is the largest and best-studied monument of the chronicle Murom. "Archaeological research is of immense importance for understanding the centuries-old history of our land. The study of the Zvyaginsky burial ground has allowed us to trace the development of Murom culture over several centuries—from its emergence in these places to its disappearance in the eleventh century with the arrival of the ancient Russian population. New findings from this field season give scientists reason to believe that the first burials on the high bank of the Oka near the modern village of Zvyagino appeared somewhat earlier than previously dated for the beginning of Murom culture. The work of archaeologists helps us to understand our native land, its culture, and history more deeply," noted the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Gleb Nikitin. In this year's field season, archaeologists focused on studying the earliest part of the burial ground, where burials date back to the last quarter of the 7th to 8th centuries. Over an area of about 1,000 square meters, they investigated 43 burials, including the graves of 6 horses. During the study, the connection of this archaeological site with monuments from an earlier time, dated to the 5th to 7th centuries and located on both banks of the Volga and Vetluga rivers in the territory of the modern Nizhny Novgorod region and the Mari El Republic, was confirmed. "If in previous years of excavations at the burial ground the primary focus was on finding answers to the question: 'When and why did Murom disappear?', this season has allowed us to approach the solution to the problem of the origin of Murom culture. We were fortunate to discover bright, standout early burials against the general background of Murom antiquities. Their study will help us understand when Murom appeared in the Lower Oka region and what historical processes influenced the settlement of Murom in the Volga-Oka interfluve," said Olga Zelentsova, head of the Volga expedition of the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. One of the tasks of the expedition was to obtain new data on burial rites and the material culture of chronicle Murom using modern technical means, allowing for the documentation of burial complexes at a fundamentally new qualitative level. Since most Murom burial grounds were studied in the 19th to mid-20th centuries, field documentation of excavations is quite scarce, and large collections of Murom jewelry stored in museums do not provide a complete picture of either the appearance of burials, the interrelation of jewelry in costumes, or the complex burial structures and specifics of burial inventory. The dating of burials in this area was determined by chronoin indicators found. For example, the end of the 7th to the beginning of the 8th century is characterized by the discovery of neck rings with boat-shaped locks, warty glass beads, and breast clasps with round lids in the burials. Among the burials, female burials stand out, in which archaeologists uncovered well-preserved metal details of clothing and headgear, allowing specialists to reconstruct the features of women's costumes at different periods of Murom culture development. One of the most interesting finds was the discovery of a female burial with a headpiece decorated with cross-shaped fibulae. This find allowed for the connection of traditions among different Murom communities and the identification of links between Murom and Finnish cultures of the early Middle Volga. Among other expressive finds from female burials are a belt set and a clasp with a "winged needle" made of tin-lead alloy. Such clasps are attributed by researchers to warrior attributes. Equally interesting finds were discovered in male burials, where archaeologists found spear and arrowheads, and in one of the burials, a set of weapons consisted of a typical pair for that time: a spearhead and a dart. The costumes of Murom men were adorned with belt sets featuring openwork belt pendants. Another striking detail of the male costume is the typical belt sets with iron overlays, as well as "eastern belts," which researchers believe first arrived in the Kama region from Central Asia. Five such belt sets have already been found at Zvyagino. Some of the most important finds of the expedition were obtained from the excavations of children's burials, which allow for determining the lower boundary of burials in this section of the Zvyaginsky burial ground. For instance, in one of them, archaeologists found a necklace made of red opaque glass beads, the existence of which does not extend beyond the 7th century. All of this allows us to state that today the Zvyaginsky burial ground contains the oldest burials of the Murom population in the Right Bank of the Oka. All artifacts discovered during the expedition's work, after restoration and detailed study, will be included in the collection of the Nizhny Novgorod Museum-Reserve. Currently, work is underway to update the exhibition "Murom: When Chronicles Fall Silent..." in the Nikolskaya Tower of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. "We have managed to minimize the path from archaeological excavation to exhibition hall. The latest artifacts from the Murom burial ground will complement the current exhibition in the Nikolskaya Tower this autumn and will become an essential part of the course on the foundations of Russian statehood for youth within the framework of the federal project 'Pushkin Card,' vividly demonstrating the role of the Murom people in the formation of Ancient Russian statehood," noted Yuri Filippov, general director of the Nizhny Novgorod Museum-Reserve. Let us remind you that the "Pushkin Card" program operates within the framework of the national project "Family," which started in Russia in 2025 at the initiative of President Vladimir Putin. Any citizen of Russia aged 14 to 22 can apply for a virtual card in the "Gosuslugi.Culture" app. The card limit is 5,000 rubles, which is renewed every year on January 1. The money can be spent on visiting museums, theaters, exhibitions, concerts, and cinemas across the country. The event schedule is available on the website: Kultura.RF. In 2026, the operator bank servicing the "Pushkin Card" changed in all regions of Russia. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.