Deputy director for science at the Research Centre “Baikal Region” Ivan Berdnikov and junior researcher of the Research Centre “Baikal Region” Natalia Sokolova went to the People’s Republic of China on a working visit at the invitation of the School of Archaeology of Jilin University.

ISU representatives met with the new Dean of the School of Archaeology, Professor Duan Tianjin, to review the results of the first year of joint work. The cooperation received high praise, and both sides confirmed their intention to continue research on the archaeology of Northeast Asia. A visit of the leadership of the School of Archaeology to Irkutsk State University is planned for next year. The archaeologists from the Research Centre “Baikal Region” became acquainted with a team of specialists in paleogenetics, presented a report on the excavations conducted last year during the Sino-Russian expedition at the multilayered site of Kholmushino 3 on the Belaya River (Usolsky District), discussed the findings and reviewed materials from Paleolithic sites in Northeast China.

Ivan Berdnikov:

Cooperation with Jilin University is very important to us. The agreement between the universities was signed in 2023, and on the following year we signed a cooperation agreement with the School of Archaeology and immediately began joint excavations. The Northeast Asia region is of interest to both us and our Chinese colleagues. International cooperation allows us to reach a new level in studying ancient cultures, households, daily life, art, cultural interactions and migrations between Baikal Siberia and Northeast China.
We are also interested in paleogenetic research. Currently, we are collaborating with Jilin University in this area. A joint article with specialists from Jilin University will soon be published, presenting the results of DNA analysis from samples taken from sites in Northeast China and the mouth of the Belaya River.
During this trip, we met with the new Dean of the School of Archaeology and agreed that our cooperation should be expanded and strengthened. Duan Tianjin is interested in opening a joint laboratory, we will discuss it during his visit to Irkutsk State University next year. We are conducting joint research in the Neolithic period, and in the future, the focus may extend to the Paleolithic and later cultures.

Additionally, Irkutsk scholars met with Professor Zhu Yonggang, who has led excavations for many years at the well-known Neolithic settlement of Hamin Mangha. The professor presented a new monograph based on the excavation results, which will be published soon.