The Personal Collection of V.R. Tarasenko in the CSL NAS of Belarus as a Source on the History of Archaeological Science in the BSSR in the 1940s

The Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences (CSL NAS) of Belarus houses collections containing valuable materials on the history of Belarusian science, including the archives of prominent scientists. The aim of this study is to characterize the personal collection of V.R. Tarasenko (1899—1972) from the collection of the CSL NAS of Belarus as a source on the history of archaeology in the BSSR in the 1940s. V.R. Tarasenko was a Belarusian archaeologist who studied Iron Age and Medieval antiquities and earned a Candidate of Historical Sciences (1947). The 1940s were a tragic period for Belarusian science, due to the events of the Great Patriotic War and its consequences. V.R. Tarasenko’s scientific career illustrates the conditions under which Belarusian archaeology was revived after the liberation. This paper examines a dissertation for the degree of Candidate of Historical Sciences (the first defense in the history of Belarusian archaeology), excavation materials from Minsk, a planned work topic at the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the BSSR, and official documents. V.R. Tarasenko is the author of the first comprehensive works devoted to the history of medieval Minsk based on archaeological and written data. His works are the first in Belarusian historiography to combine available information on the archaeology of the BSSR during the first millennium AD. An important factor that allowed him to resume his research was the opportunity to work with the collections of the State Historical Museum, as well as with scientific publications in the State Library of the USSR named after V.I. Lenin (now the Russian State Library), which is reflected in the materials of Coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko) of the CSL NAS of Belarus. An analysis of the researcher’s creative legacy testifies to Tarasenko’s contribution to Belarusian historiography, as well as to the methodological development of archeology in the BSSR in the general context of Soviet archaeological science.

1. V.R. Tarasenko’s Photographs, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 107, 11 p. (in Russ.).

2. Yuretsky S.S. The resumption of Research in Archaeology in the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the Byelorussian SSR (1944—1945), Soviet Archaeology Before and After the Great Patriotic War (Second Half of the 1930s — Late 1940s): Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference, Moscow, April 6—8, 2021. Moscow, 2021, pp. 72—74. DOI: 10.25681/IARAS.2021.978-5-94375-338-1.72-74 (in Russ.).

3. Zhuk T.I. Information on the Composition of Collection no. 40 “Tarasenko Vasily Rodionovich”, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, pp. 3—4 (in Russ.).

4. Zhuk T.I. Ancient Minsk. To the History of Archaeological Excavations of Minsk Zamchishcha (on the Materials of the Fund of Archaeologist V.R. Tarasenko), Modern Problems of Book Culture: Main Tendencies and Prospects: Proceedings of the 17th Russian-Belarusian Scientific Conference (Moscow, November 27—28, 2024). Moscow, Minsk, 2024, pp. 231—237. DOI: 10.52929/9785605111078_231 (in Russ.).

5. Characteristics of Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the Byelorussian SSR, V.R. Tarasenko., Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 109, 9 p. (in Russ.).

6. Kunash A.A. Archival Materials for the Biography of Vasily Rodionovich Tarasenko from the Collections of the Central Scientific Archive of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus”, Heritage: Documentary Monuments in Belarus. Mіnsk, 2023, issue 26, pp. 6—22 (in Belarus).

7. Central Scientific Archive of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 1, aids 1, fol. 48, 12 p. (in Russ.).

8. Yurehtskі S. The Resumption of Archaeological Research in the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the Byelorussian SSR in 1944—1945, Historical and Archaeological Collection. 2024, no. 38, pp. 239—242 (in Belarus).

9. Central Scientific Archive of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 1, aids 1, fol. 46, 38 p. (in Russ.).

10. Abstracts for the Dissertation by V.R. Tarasenko on “The History of the Upper Dnieper Region and Belarus in the First Millennium AD (Based on Archaeological Data)”. Versions, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 8, 33 p. (in Russ.).

11. Minutes no. 1—7 of the Meetings of the Academic Council of the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the USSR Academy of Sciences for 1947, Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences, coll. 1909, aids 1, fol. 55, 68 p. (in Russ.).

12. Chubur A.A. Konstantin Mykhailovych Polykarpovych: Life, Discoveries, Students. Minsk, 2009, 214 p. (in Russ.).

13. Myadzvedzeva V.U. “Levdansky Can Be Considered an Outstanding Archaeologist.” The Life and Scientific Career of A.M. Levdansky, Alexander Nikolaevich Levdansky. Fate and Scientific Legacy (to the 130th Anniversary of His Birth). Minsk, 2025, pp. 16—60 (in Belarus).

14. A Brief Annotation to the Dissertation by Vasily Rodionovich Tarasenko, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the Byelorussian SSR, on the Topic: “The History of the Upper Dnieper Region and Belarus in the First Millennium AD (Based on Archaeological Data)”: Draft, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 3, 11 p. (in Russ.).

15. Plan for the Defense of the Dissertation “The History of the Upper Dnieper Region and Belarus in the First Millennium AD (Based on Archaeological Data)”, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 7, 8 p. (in Russ.).

16. “The History of the Upper Dnieper Region and Belarus in the First Millennium AD (Based on Archaeological Data)”: Dissertation: Draft, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 9, 138 p. (in Russ.).

17. “The History of the Upper Dnieper Region and Belarus in the First Millennium AD (Based on Archaeological Data)”: Dissertation, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 10, 339 p. (in Russ.).

18. “The History of the Upper Dnieper Region and Belarus in the First Millennium AD (Based on Archaeological Data)”: Dissertation: 2nd copy, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 11, 344 p. (in Russ.).

19. Tretyakov P.N. Review of V.R. Tarasenko’s Dissertation “The History of the Upper Dnieper Region and Belarus in the First Millennium AD” and V.R. Tarasenko’s Comments on the Review, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 110, 5 p. (in Russ.).

20. Rybakov B.A. Review of V.R. Tarasenko’s Dissertation “The History of the Upper Dnieper Region and Belarus in the First Millennium AD (Based on Archaeological Data)” and V.R. Tarasenko’s Comments on the Review, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 111, 5 p. (in Russ.).

21. Tarasenko V.R. The History of the Upper Dnieper Region and Belarus in the First Millennium AD (Abstract for the Dissertation Defended at the Meeting of the Academic Council of the Institute for the History of Material Culture on December 29, 1947), Brief Reports on Papers and Field Research of the Institute for the History of Material Culture. Moscow, Leningrad, 1951, issue 39, pp. 146—148 (in Russ.).

22. Grekov B.D. Kievskaya Rus. Moscow, Leningrad, 1939, 282 p. (in Russ.).

23. Tretyakov P.N. East Slavic Tribes in Light of Recent Archaeological Research, Brief Reports on Papers and Field Research of the Institute for the History of Material Culture. Moscow, Leningrad, 1946, issue 13, pp. 39—44 (in Russ.).

24. Vergei V.S. The Study of Iron Age Monuments, Belarusian Archaeology: Achievements of Archaeologists for the Soviet Era. Minsk, 1987, pp. 49—78 (in Russ.).

25. Diary of Excavations at the Minsk Castle Ruins in 1950, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 73, 81 p. (in Russ.).

26. Photographs of Excavations at the Minsk Castle, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 62, 181 p. (in Russ.).

27. New Facts on Ancient Minsk: Based on Excavations in 1946, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 4, 41 p. (in Russ.).

28. The History of the City of Minsk: Based on Archaeological Excavations of the Minsk Castle Ruins in 1945—1948, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 12, 27 p. (in Russ.).

29. Work “The History of Belarus at the Turn of the 1st and 2nd Millennia: 9th—13th Centuries AD: Based on Archaeological Data”, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 16, 303 p. (in Russ.).

30. Polikarpovich K.M. Review of the Work by V.R. Tarasenko, Senior Research Fellow at the Archaeology Department of the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the Byelorussian SSR, “The History of Belarus at the Turn of the 1st and 2nd Millennia AD”, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 112, 33 p. (in Russ.).

31. Sketches of Objects Discovered During Excavations Conducted by Various Individuals in the Zaslavl, Borisov, and Igumensky Districts of the Minsk Province and in the Orsha, Bykhov, and Other Districts of the Mogilev Province, Ya. Kolas Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, coll. 40 (V.R. Tarasenko), aids 1, fol. 63, 8 p. (in Russ.).

32. Gening V.F. Essays on the History of Soviet Archaeology: At the Origins of the Formation of Marxist Theoretical Foundations of Soviet Archaeology, 1920s — First Half of the 1930s. Kiev, 1982, 225 p.