V.N. Chernetsov: the Way to Science and Methodological and Methodical Heritage

The article is dedicated to the analysis of the heritage and foundations of the methodological research on ethnic and cultural history of the Ural and Siberian peoples by the prominent scientist V.N. Chernetsov. There is a brief overview of the researcher's way to humanitarian scientific sphere; unknown facts of his life are given. The main directions and milestones of his scientific activity are shown. The first direction was the conduction of numerous archaeological and ethnographic expeditions in the forest regions of Western Siberian Arctic, Ural and Trans-Ural, Lower Ob-river and Lower Irtysh-river basins. The second was the creation of strong generalizing territorial and chronological scheme of the cultural and historical development of Ural and Siberian peoples from the Neolith to the Middle Ages. He set priorities for Ust-Poluy and Potchevash cultures, considering them as the basis for Ugric peoples of Western Siberia (Khanty, Mansi, partly Hungarians). Detecting ethnic and cultural areas the scientist considered them as large ethnic and linguistic communities (the Ugric, Samoyed and Paleoasian ones). He had been most consistently elaborating the Ugric constituent of the cultural and historical processes. Methodologically the researcher started from the paleoethnologic school of the Russian science. He considered culture as the main object of study and as a dynamic diverse system developing under the effect of natural and social environment. The main V.N. Chernetsov's principles of scientific work were historicity, interdisciplinary (including physical anthropology, archaeology, ethnography, linguistics and geography) approach, system analysis of historical and cultural processes, cultures and communities. His basic method was the comparative-historical one, which includes detection of ethnic and cultural specifics in ornamental designs, art activity (bronze molding, bone and clay sculpture, specifity in construction, technology, artifacts, dressing etc.). The most important culture defining sign perceived by him were ornamental designs as the semantic indicator passing from generation to generation and becoming a tradition. Basing upon genetic and retrospective analysis the researcher studied the dynamics of ethic and cultural development. Methodological approaches of Valery N. Chernetsov have not lost their actuality, in spite of revision of a number of specific historical hypotheses (chronology and ethnic attribution of Ust-Poluy and Potchevash cultures at Zelyonaya Gora stage).

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