Archaeological heritage in the minds of contemporary inhabitants of Tomsk

The article analyzes public perceptions of archeology and archaeological heritage among Tomsk residents. In 2013, a sociological survey on contemporary public perceptions of archaeological heritage was conducted. 183 questionnaires were processed that contained 17 questions about respondents' personal attitudes toward archeology, the place of this science in the modern world and their actual knowledge about archeology. The analysis of the responses and the comparison of these with the results of some American studies showed that today almost entirely absent are channels of information about archaeological knowledge available to the public at large. At the same time the society highly appreciates the role of archeology in the modern world and wants to be kept informed about scientific discoveries in the field, however, the actual knowledge about archaeological sites remains very scarce. The situation, when the society recognizes the need for knowledge about the remote past, and the scientific archaeological community is not able to meet it, as a matter of fact leads to the flourishing of pseudoscientific theories, mysticism, etc. Only the availability of affordable and high-quality information channels, connecting archaeologists and the society, would at least reduce the number of pseudoscientific constructions around cultural heritage.

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