Documentary films of the 1959-1960 from the scientific archives of the Institute of Archaeology, RAS, as a source of information on underwater archaeology in the USSR

In the course of digitalization of the film collection kept by the Scientific Archives of the Institute of Archaeology, RAS, films on underwater archaeological studies were identified. The collection contained color films featuring the first underwater archaeological excavations carried out in the water area of Phanagoria in 1959 and underwater reconnaissance near Chersonese in 1960. The film footage shows panoramic views of Phanagoria and Chersonese, an underwater excavation trench and operating methods, early models of underwater gear and equipment, the head of the expedition V. D. Blavatskiy. This footage is a valuable evidence related to history of underwater archaeology development and the first attempt to shoot a popular science film about underwater archaeological research in the USSR.