Alexey Okladnikov

Alexey Pavlovich Okladnikov (Russian: Алексе́й Па́влович Окла́дников; 1908–1981) was a Soviet archaeologist, historian, and ethnographer, an expert in the ancient cultures of Siberia and the Pacific Basin. He was elected a full member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR in 1968, and awarded the honorary title of the Hero of Socialist Labor (1978).

The childhood of the scientist has passed in Biryulka village in Siberia.

In 1938-1961, Okladnikov worked in the Leningrad Division of the Archeology Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

Since 1961 Head of the Division of Human Research of the Economics Institute, Siberian Division of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

Since 1966 Director of the Institute of History, Philology and Philosophy, Siberian Division of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

Since 1962, Professor and Head, Department of History, of Novosibirsk State University.

His works include research on ancient history of Siberia, Far East, Mongolia, and Middle East. He identified numerous cultures of the Paleolithic, Neolithic, Bronze, and Iron Ages in Siberia and the Far East.

A. P. Okladnikov taught field studies in Siberia, the Far East, Central Asia and Mongolia.

In 1971, he supervised excavations at Zashiversk and the relocation of the historic Spaso-Zashiverskaya Church to Novosibirsk, where it is now displayed.

He excavated and studied remnants of Neanderthal culture in Teshik-Tash in Uzbekistan, Paleolithic remnants in Priamurye and Mongolia, as well as petroglyphs on the banks of the Lena River and the Angara River

In 1945, Okladnikov examined the remains of a Russian polar expedition base left in 1617 in the Faddey Islands off the north-eastern coast of the Taymyr Peninsula, where he also made other discoveries.

He is the author of the Summary on the History of Ancient Society and the Ancient Culture of Paleolitic and Neolithic Art, the History of Siberia, the Far East and the Far North.

The museum of Khabarovsk is named the "Okladnikov Museum" in his honour.