Ethnoarchaeological study of the Zerkalnaya river valley near Bogopol settlement: following the Russian pathfinders

The paper discusses the results of the comprehensive ethnoarchaeological study on the average flow of the Zerkalnaya river valley in the South-Eastern Primorsky region near Bogopol settlement through the chronological range of the archaeological cultures, scientific essays of the 19th-century pathfinders and explorers, contemporary migrant ethnography. The authors suggest using the concept of the natural and historical system for the interdisciplinary study of the area. The paper provides a brief review of the history and the research results of Bogopol geo-archaeological complex. It is noted that the majority of the identified archaeological sites are multicultural and have artifacts related to different archaeological periods. The original field materials, ethnographic data which explain the migrant adaptation strategies in the area with the specific nature and climate are introduced. The authors conclude that because of intercultural collaboration and adaptation to the new natural environment, Bogopol residents start to lead a lifestyle which is typical for the rural polyethnic population of the Primorsky region.