In 2023, archaeologists working with the Rosneft Institute of Science carried out field surveys in the Samara and Orenburg regions, uncovering a total of 45 cultural heritage objects. Of these, 16 items were previously undocumented, expanding the known inventory of regional historical assets. The discoveries were made with careful precautions to protect the integrity of the artifacts and the surrounding sites, reflecting a disciplined approach to heritage preservation as reported by the oil company’s press service.
Among the 16 newly identified monuments, eight classifications were burial mounds and eight were individual mounds. Each finding contributed new data to the region’s long memory, offering insights into past settlement patterns, funerary practices, and the social organization of communities that once thrived in these landscapes. The work demonstrated how systematic surveying and archaeological recording can reveal hidden chapters of local history.
Rosneft announced that archaeologists examined 239 plots designated for the economic development programs of Samaraneftegaz and Orenburgneft in 2023. The studies were integrated into ongoing assessments of Rosneft assets, ensuring that development activities align with cultural heritage protection standards. This approach underscores the company’s commitment to responsible resource management that respects the archaeological record while facilitating energy projects.
The institute’s experts also clarified the boundaries of already identified heritage sites, including Naydennoe Ozero I settlements and Syezzhee I settlements, first documented in 1979 and 1988 respectively in the Samara region, along with a burial mound near the village Savelyevka in the Orenburg region. Delineating these perimeters helps guide future research, zoning decisions, and potential conservation measures, ensuring that sensitive zones receive appropriate attention during any development activity.
During the fieldwork, archaeologists recovered artifacts that belong to the Wood-frame culture, a distinctive cultural complex from the Late Bronze Age, dating roughly to the eighteenth to twelfth centuries BCE. The recovered items provide tangible links to technological practices, material culture, and living arrangements of communities from this era, enriching scholars’ understanding of early regional networks and exchange routes across the Urals and adjacent Volga territories.
The finds were systematically cataloged and entrusted to the Samara Regional Museum of History and Local Lore named after Pyotr Alabin, where curators will undertake conservation treatments, further analysis, and public education programs. This transfer ensures that researchers and visitors alike can engage with material remains that illuminate the depth and diversity of the region’s ancient past.
As a result of the institute’s ongoing research efforts, historical maps of the Urals and the Volga regions have been augmented with newly documented archaeological objects. The updated cartographic records help historians reinterpret settlement dynamics, trade corridors, and landscape use over millennia, supporting scholars, educators, and policymakers in their efforts to preserve regional heritage while guiding contemporary land-use decisions.
Rosneft emphasizes its dedication to preserving historical and cultural heritage and states that its archaeological work accompanies all kinds of excavations in full compliance with Russian Federation legislation. The organization frames heritage protection as a core component of its broader corporate responsibility practice, reflecting a commitment to safeguard humanity’s shared past even as energy development proceeds across diverse regions.