Archaeological conferences as an effective form of science communication (comparative analysis of two regular forums)

The purpose of the article is a comparative analysis of two academic conferences that are held regularly: the West Siberian Archaeological Meeting / West Siberian Archaeological and Ethnographic Conference (WSAM/WSAEC) at Tomsk State University (TSU) and regular All-Union conferences on archaeology of the Scythian period at Kemerovo State University (KemSU). The study is based on the materials of these conferences and unpublished archival data. Until 1958, no archaeological conferences had been held in Siberia. Historically, it was the university in Tomsk that became the first to host regular forums as the University archaeological museum existed since the 19^th century and the institution attracted researchers having received such a prominent organizer as V.I. Matyushchenko in the 1960s. The 1st WSAM took place in 1970. The opening in 1968 of the Problem Research Laboratory of History, Archaeology and Ethnography became an important prerequisite for the integration of interdisciplinary research and holding regular academic conferences at TSU. In Kemerovo, the idea of organizing regular conferences on the issues of archaeology of the Scythian period appeared also in the late 1970s, all conditions having been developed for this. KemSU had a leader, Doctor of History, Professor A.I. Martynov who defended his thesis in archaeology. In 1975, the Department of Archeology was established at KemSU, consolidating all archaeologists of Kemerovo region and conducting training. During the 1950-1970s, a significant source base was accumulated on the Tagar archaeological culture of the Scythian circle. As a result, the work of the regular All-Union Conference on topical issues of the Scythian-Siberian world was organized. These conferences became a milestone in the development of the archeology of Eurasia of the Scythian time. At present, WSAM/WSAEC have 50-year-long history and include 18 forums. They made a huge contribution to the development of theoretical, methodological and practical issues of archaeology of Western Siberia and neighbouring regions. It is noteworthy that Tomsk colleagues set the topic of each conference and choose the most pressing issues every time. Such a longstanding tradition of holding regular conferences in Tomsk was formed owing to the continuity of its organizers, the preservation of their interest and the search for new issues and forms for conducting WSAEC. The significance of conferences in Tomsk is proved not only by the development of archaeology and ethnography of Western Siberia, but also by the preservation of the role of TSU as a leading university in Siberia.

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