Research in the historic center of the town of Tara in 2022

The article presents the results of excavations in the historic center of Tara - the first Russian town in the Middle Irtysh region. Founded by Prince Andrei Yeletsky in 1594, it became a stronghold for Russian expansion in the forest-steppe and steppe of Western Siberia along the Irtysh River, and in the Ob-Irtysh interfluve for almost two centuries. Archaeological works ofthe fifteenth season were focused on the northeastern part of the historic center of the town. The joint expedition of IAE SB RAS (headed by S.F. Tataurov) and National Research Tomsk State University (headed by M.P. Chernaya) explored the area around one of fortification objects excavated in 2010-2011. The nature of this structure was identified; location of wooden Church of Dormition and stone church built on its place was found; church cemetery was explored. Thirty three burials were studied at one of the first town cemeteries of the late 17th-18th centuries. The evidence on planigraphy of the necropolis and funeral rite of the first inhabitants of Tara was obtained. In the process of work, stone fence of the church was discovered, which made it possible to establish its exact location and determine the order of excavations for the following years. Archaeological research in the town of Tara, which was done in 2022, significantly enriched our knowledge on planigraphy of the town in the early 17th century and dynamics of its development in the 18th-20th centuries. The evidence on the material and spiritual culture of the Tara dwellers in the late 16th-18th centuries included pottery, objects of wood, leather, and bone, as well as coins.