Sarmanovo Copper Mines in the Republic Of Tatarstan as the Foundation for Establishing a Mining Museum-Reserve

Authors

  • Alexey A. Gunko Tatarstan Regional Branch of the Russian Society of Spelestological Research. Naberezhnye Chelny, Russia
  • Ayrat G. Sitdikov . Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Khalikov, Tatarstan Academy of Sciences. Bauman St., 20, Kazan, 420111, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation
  • Olga E. Shtele National Research University Higher School of Economics. Slavyanskaya sq. 4, Moscow, 109074 Rus-sian Federation
  • Pavel M. Shulgin National Research University Higher School of Economics. Slavyanskaya sq. 4, Moscow, 109074 Russian Federation
  • Guzel M. Sayfutdinova Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Khalikov, Tatarstan Academy of Sciences. Bauman St., 20, Kazan, 420111, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation; Associate Professor. Institute of Geol-ogy and Petroleum Technologies, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University. Kremlyovskaya St., 18, Kazan, 420000, the Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation
  • Rezida Kh. Khramchenkova Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Khalikov, Tatarstan Academy of Sciences. Bauman St., 20, Kazan, 420111, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24852/2587-6112.2026.5.215.229

Keywords:

archaeology, historical copper mines, mining heritage sites, mining museum-reserve, Sarmanovo district of the Republic of Tatarstan

Abstract

This paper examines a project to establish an open-air museum-reserve dedicated to the history of mining on the basis of the "Sarmanovskii-1" mine, located near the district center of Sarmanovo. The historic copper mines situated in the Sarmanovo district of the Republic of Tatarstan represent an underground system of historical mining workings that is unique in its state of preservation, dating back to the early 18th century. Although some workings are partially destroyed, the system as a whole remains in a satisfactory condition. Creating a museum-reserve will serve as a reliable instrument for preserving this unique archaeological heritage, while also contributing to the formation of an unconventional tourist product in the hospitality and services market. There are plans to develop a network of underground excursion routes based within the Sarmanovo mines, as well as a system of museum exhibitions and museumified landscape areas that reveal both the specific features of historical mining production and the natural landscape characteristics of the area. Well-preserved and museumified archaeological sites of this kind are extremely rare worldwide and virtually non-existent within the Russian Federation. The mining museum-reserve in Sarmanovo has the potential to become one of the most promising museum projects for both Tatarstan and the Russian Federation as a whole. The proposed approach to the preservation and utilization of archaeological heritage can be replicated for other archaeological sites.

References

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Published

2026-10-31

How to Cite

Gunko , A. A., Sitdikov , A. G., Shtele , O. E., Shulgin , P. M., Sayfutdinova , G. M., & Khramchenkova , R. K. (2026). Sarmanovo Copper Mines in the Republic Of Tatarstan as the Foundation for Establishing a Mining Museum-Reserve. Arkheologiia Evraziiskikh Stepei (Archaeology of the Eurasian Steppes), (5), 215–229. https://doi.org/10.24852/2587-6112.2026.5.215.229

Issue

No. 5 (2026)

Section

Research and Publication

License

Copyright (c) 2026 A.A. Gunko, A.G. Sitdikov, O.E. Shtele, P.M. Shulgin, G.M. Sayfutdinova, R.Kh. Khramchenkova

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