Old Russian settlements and villages of the proposed place of interest “Tom rock art”

The article discusses the milestones in the history of Russian settlements and villages located within the proposed place of interest “Tom Rock Art.” The villages along the banks of the River Tom were founded by newcomers from the Russian North. They included not only official Orthodox Christians, but also Raskolniks (dissenters). In addition, indigenous peoples contributed to the area settlement. The interaction of all these groups, which was not always peaceful, ultimately led to the formation of settlements that have existed since the second half of the 17th century until now. Based on archival sources and published results of research, the author identifies characteristic features that determine the uniqueness of the area under discussion.