The "Soul" of the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of the IEI UFIC RAS (in Memory of Natalia Georgievna Rutto)

Akhatov Al'bert Tagirovich PhD in History Scientific Associate, R. G. Kuzeev Institute for Ethnological Studies of the Ufa Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences 450077, Russia, respublika Bashkortostan, g. Ufa, ul. K. Marksa, 6 bertik@mail.ru Other publications by this author

Introduction. The decision to establish the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of the Institute of Ethnological Research named after R. G. Kuzeev of the Ufa Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (hereinafter MAE IEI UFIC RAS) was adopted by the resolution of the secretariat of the Bashkir Regional Committee of the CPSU dated January 20, 1976, and in January 1981 its exhibition halls were opened to visitors (more about the history of the origin and development MAE ^{[6, 18]}).

During its history, the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of the IEI has accumulated invaluable experience in preserving and popularizing historical and cultural heritage, becoming by now not only one of the most famous cultural and educational institutions in the region, but also an important research center. The museum's archaeological collections play an important role in the study of cultural genesis and ethnogenetic processes in the Southern Urals from the Paleolithic era to Modern times, and ethnographic collections are an indispensable source for studying the culture and life of the peoples living here.

The history of the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of the IEI, created on the initiative and under the leadership of R. G. Kuzeev, is closely connected with the lives and activities of many people. Natalia Georgievna Rutto played a special role in its formation and development. She was the permanent keeper of the archaeological funds practically from the moment of the museum's foundation until the last days of her life. For a long time she was also the main keeper of the MAE.

 As you know, the basis of any museum is a collection of collections that largely determine the main directions of its activities, being a kind of "heart", without which it cannot exist. The Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of the IEI was lucky in this regard, since N. G. Rutto was responsible for its funds for many years.

My acquaintance with Natalia Georgievna took place in August 2006 when I was applying for a job at the MAE. Thanks to her special energy and benevolence, she made a very good impression, which only intensified over time. Despite the short time of working together (N. G. Rutto passed away in the spring of 2007), only bright memories remain in the memory of Natalia Georgievna, as a kind and sincere person deeply devoted to her family and work.

She can be called the "soul" of MAHE not only for her huge contribution to the formation and development of museum funds, but also for the kindness, attentiveness, humanity that she possessed and showed to all people, regardless of their age, rank and social status. For her warm attitude to colleagues, amazing ability to work and conscientiousness, Natalia Georgievna enjoyed love, respect and well-deserved authority in the team.

Her workplace, located in the basement, was special in MAHE. Here, researchers from Ufa and other cities worked in archaeological funds, Natalia Georgievna treated each of them equally, regardless of whether they were venerable, famous archaeologists or young aspiring scientists. Colleagues went down to her basement to drink tea, talk, share their problems and joys. N. G. Rutto was an understanding person, an erudite and interesting interlocutor. From her, one could hear various stories related to the development of MAE and foundations, as well as entertaining cases from her rich field practice.

A unique feature of Natalia Georgievna was the knowledge of the funds of the MAE, primarily the archaeological part. She not only remembered where this or that collection was located, but even without a Receipt Book she could name the year, the author of the excavations, cultural affiliation and even its geographical reference. Then it caused surprise and admiration, but it was taken for granted, since she and the funds were presented as a single organic whole.

Only later, when there was an opportunity to get acquainted with the documents related to N. G. Rutto, it became clear that her deep knowledge of the funds was due to the fact that almost all the archaeological collections of the MAE, before getting into the repository, passed through her hands.

Biography. Natalia Georgievna Rutto was born on July 24, 1946 in Ufa in a famous family of foresters Lidia Andreevna and George Mikhailovich Rutto ^{[16, l. 12]}. Her father G. M. Rutto in 1932, after graduating from the Academy of Agriculture, came from Belarus to Bashkiria and before the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War worked as a tax collector (a forestry specialist engaged in the arrangement and evaluation of forest plantations and felling), in the trust "Yuzhuralles". Returning from the front, where he was awarded numerous orders and medals, Georgy Mikhailovich continued his work as a forester, heading the Ufa Park Forestry. One of the largest urban Ufa arboretums, located near the sanatorium "Green Grove" and "Ufa lemonary", is named after him. The elder sister, Galina Georgievna, graduated from the forestry department of the Bashkir Agricultural Institute (currently Bashkir State Agrarian University), worked for many years as a history teacher at Ufa school No. 42 ^{[7, pp. 134-135]}.

In 1961, Natalia Georgievna, after graduating from the 8th grade of secondary school, entered the Ufa Aviation Technical School at the Faculty of Instrument Engineering. In 1965, after graduating from the aviation college with a degree in mechanical engineering, she almost immediately began her career. At first she was an apprentice of a fitter, and then a technician-spotter at the Ufa Instrument-Making Plant named after V.I. Lenin (currently JSC Ufa Instrument-Making Production Association). In June 1968 Natalia Georgievna left the company, deciding to continue her studies further. In September 1968, she was enrolled in the full-time department of the Historical Faculty of Bashkir State University ^{[16, L. 8, 12]}.

During her studies, she was introduced to archaeology. After graduating from the first year, N. G. Rutto underwent field archaeological practice under the guidance of G. I. Matveeva in the Buraevsky district of the BASSR. It can be said that it was with this expedition, in which future famous archaeologists took part – V. A. Ivanov, V. S. Gorbunov, S. S. Parsamov, I. B. Vasiliev, that the countdown of her "professional archaeological activity" began ^{[2, pp. 16-17]}.

In 1973, after graduating from the Faculty of History and receiving a diploma of higher education, she got a job as a senior laboratory assistant in the archeology sector of the Institute of History, Language and Literature of the Bashkir branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the Institute of History, Language and Literature of the USSR Academy of Sciences, currently the Institute of History, Language and Literature of the UFIC RAS) ^{[16, l. 8 vol.]}, where she continued her archaeological research. In 1974, Natalia Georgievna conducted a survey of the territory of the city of Ufa, during which previously discovered monuments were examined – Ufa III settlement, I and II Dudkinskoye, "Goscirk" and Yunarskoye settlements and a new monument "Kurochkino settlement" was identified. At the same time, with her participation, protective excavations were carried out of two mounds in Ordzhonikidze Park, the materials of which are stored in the archaeological funds of the MAE ^[14].

After working for almost 2 years at the IIAL, in 1975 Natalia Georgievna left the academic sphere for a while. At first, she worked as a teacher of history and drawing at the newly opened secondary school No. 108 in Ufa (August 1975 – November 1976), then as a junior researcher in the Research Sector on the contractual topic at BASHGU (November 1976 - August 1977) and again as a teacher at the School of Working Youth No. 31 (September–October 1977 After that, she re-got a job at the IIAL of the BFAN of the USSR (October 1977) ^{[16, l. 8 vol.]}.

Returning back, Natalia Georgievna worked at the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of the IEI until the end of her life, the peculiarity of the development of which was the fact that for a long time it was part of the structural divisions of the IIAL, and since 1993 the modern Institute of Ethnological Research named after R. G. Kuzeev.

Since October 1977, N. G. Rutto has worked as a laboratory assistant, since April 1978 as a senior laboratory assistant of the archaeological funds of the MAE of the Sector of Archeology, Ethnography and Folk Art of the IIAL. Since October 1978, she was approved for the position of a junior researcher in the Archaeology sector with the IIAL Museum, while simultaneously acting as head of museum funds. In 1985, N. G. Rutto transferred to the newly created sector of the Peoples of the Southern Urals with the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography in which in 1988 she was appointed chief curator. In 1991-1993, she worked in the newly created Department of the Peoples of Bashkortostan of the IIAL UNC RAS, where in February 1993 she moved to the position of a researcher.

At the end of December 1993, N. G. Rutto was dismissed as a transfer to an independent scientific division – the Department of the Peoples of the Urals with the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of the UNC RAS, where she was officially employed as a researcher in early January 1994 In 1999. The Department was reorganized into an independent institute – the Center for Ethnological Research of the UNC RAS, where in July 2001 N. G. Rutto was approved as a senior researcher. In January-February 2004 She held the position of head of the Department of the Museum and Museum Funds, and since February 2004 she has been acting as Deputy Director for accounting, storage and exposition of museum funds. From January 2005 to June 2006 Natalia Georgievna simultaneously held the position of head of the Department of Museum Archaeology of the Central Research Institute of the UNC RAS ^{[9, l. 232]}; ^{[16, l. 8 about., 10, 16-18, 20-34, 63]}.

Stock, exhibition and research activities. In October 1977, having re-employed at the IIAL, Natalia Georgievna immediately joined the process of organizing the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography, the main work on the creation of which took place in 1976-1980.

It should be noted that the MAE was formed in a relatively short time, given that it had to be started almost from scratch. During 1976-1978, the premises located at 7 Aksakov Street were rebuilt, a thematic and exposition plan was drawn up, showcases were made, halls for the future exposition were decorated and exhibition material was prepared. At the same time, a lot of work was carried out on the formation of museum funds. In 1979-1980 . the main efforts were focused on the design of the exhibition halls ^{[15, l. 31]}.

The peculiarity of the development of the MAE was the fact that at the initial stage it was planned to create an Archaeology Museum, and the idea to supplement the archaeological expositions with ethnographic exhibitions appeared later from the developers. Therefore, in official documents until 1985, the museum was listed as the Museum of Archeology of the IIAL of the BFAN of the USSR ^{[18, p. 136]}.

Initially, N. G. Rutto was hired as a laboratory assistant of the museum's archaeological collections ^{[9, l. 232]}. Since she successfully coped with the stock work, six months later, at one of the meetings of the Archeology, Ethnography and Folk Art Sector of the IIAL, held on March 3, 1978, a proposal was made to assign her the duties of the head of all funds. It was supported personally by R. G. Kuzeev, who noted the following: "The archaeological fund is finally being put in order, but we have an ethnographic fund, and there will be an anthropological one. The organization of their accounting and storage will be different, but they should be managed by one person. N. G. Rutto has experience working with funds" ^{[10, L. 48]}.

At this meeting, it was decided that "it is necessary to have a permanent employee – the head of archaeological, anthropological and ethnographic funds as a junior researcher. In this regard, a decision was made in the operative part: "To ask the director of the IIAL to assign the duties of the head of funds to the laboratory assistant N. G. Rutto and announce a competition for the position of junior researcher, bearing in mind her election to this position" [ibid.] to which she was appointed in October 1978 ^{[16, L. 10]}.

As N. G. Rutto herself noted: "until 1981, my main task was to participate in the creation of the Museum of Archeology." It was entrusted with two main, interrelated functions – the formation of museum funds and the compilation of the exposition ^{[16, l. 44]}.

To study the experience of curators in other museums in 1979, N. G. Rutto specially traveled to Moscow and Leningrad (St. Petersburg), where she visited the State Hermitage Museum, the Russian Ethnographic Museum, the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography. Peter the Great (Kunstkamera), State Historical Museum ^{[16, l. 44-45]}. During her business trips, she collected and brought samples of stock documentation, according to which the Main Inventory Book, the accounting book of scientific and auxiliary material, precious metals items, collectible inventories, acts, punched cards, book, acts, etc. were ordered from the printing house of the BFAN of the USSR ^{[13, L. 28]}. In the future, she visited museums in different cities of the country several times in order to improve her skills.

At the initial stage of the fund work, there was a "concentration of archaeological collections in the premises of the museum fund" ^{[13, l. 28]}. By the time the decision was made to organize the MAE, the materials of 534 collections collected in the 1950s and 1970s by archaeologists from the IIAL were stored in the archeology and ethnography sector, which became the core of archaeological funds. In 1977 they were moved to the new museum building at 7 Aksakov Street and placed in two rooms with a total area of 82.52 m2 ^{[21, pp. 85-86]}.

Since there was not enough available material for an archaeological display of the history of the region from antiquity to the Middle Ages, in 1976-1980 work was underway to supplement the funds with archaeological collections obtained during excavations in the Southern Urals by researchers from Bashkiria, Moscow, Kazan, Leningrad (St. Petersburg), Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg), etc. ^{[21, p. 85-86]}; ^{[11, L. 34]}.

Unlike the archaeological, the ethnographic funds of the MAE began to be completed later – from the mid-1970s, when work began on the formation of the museum. Since by that time there were only 50 ethnographic exhibits at the disposal of the developers of museum expositions, in 1976-1980 the institute organized several expeditions to different regions of Bashkortostan and beyond exclusively with collecting functions. As a result, thanks to the IIAL ethnographers and the MAE researchers, by the end of 1980, the ethnographic funds comprised 565 storage units ^{[19, p. 106]}.

During the creation of the MAE and its funds, the anthropological collection was also being formed. It was based on the craniological materials of anthropologist R. M. Yusupov, collected during the excavations of 1976-1980. Later they were supplemented with skulls discovered during the archaeological research of the IIAL in the 1950s and 1980s ^{[18, p. 139]}.

At the same time with the complete set of funds, work was underway to equip storage facilities for collections. The storage facilities were equipped with racks and boxes for storing archaeological material, safes for storing precious metals products, provided with the necessary documentation for accounting for stock material, etc. ^{[16, l. 44]}; ^{[11, l. 60-60 vol.]}.

In parallel with the formation of funds under the leadership of N. G. Rutto, there was a process of selecting items for a new exhibition and distributing items that were not included in it back to collections ^{[13, L. 28]}. Some of the exhibits were transferred for restoration and chemical treatment to the laboratory, which functioned at the museum almost from the moment of its creation. So, as of October 1981, 11,898 exhibits were transferred from the funds to the MAE exposition, an inventory was compiled for each of them, 9,000 of them underwent restoration processing ^{[16, l. 44]}.

After the opening of the MAE, N. G. Rutto continued to receive archaeological and ethnographic collections, but the primary task for her was the systematization of the available stock material, the organization of its processing and restoration. All the collected archaeological materials were sorted into collections and distributed in funds by epoch. Since this process took a lot of time, students of Bashkir State University, as well as temporary laboratory assistants, were involved in providing assistance. At the same time, N. G. Rutto worked on compiling the Main Inventory Book of the museum, the book of acts, the book of accounting for precious metal products, the journal of stock inventory books, the book of visitors ^{[13, L. 28]}.

As a result, by the mid-1980s, collections of 600 settlements and settlements, 200 burial grounds from the excavations of the archeology sector, BASHGU, the Palace of Pioneers (1956-1983) were included in the Book of Receipts. In parallel, work was underway to duplicate collection inventories, which included only the material available in the funds. The inventory book also included precious metals products included in the exposition and tested in the Inspection of Assay Supervision ^{[13, l. 29]}.

In the process of forming the funds of the MAE, work was also underway to create a systematically replenished archive of field archaeological documentation, photonegatives and reports on scientific research of the IIAL ^{[21, p. 88]}.

At the initial stage, employees of the MAE and IIAL participated in the acquisition of funds. A lot of work was carried out by V.A. Ivanov. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he was first an engineer, and then the chief custodian of the funds of the MAE ^{[8, p. 17]}. Nevertheless, a significant part of the burden lay on N. G. Rutto. Due to the lack of assistants, Natalia Georgievna herself had to work with all the funds and at the same time fill out documentation for them ^{[11, l. 58, 105]}; ^{[16, l. 49]}.

During the period of creation and in the first years of the MAE's activity, Natalia Georgievna was engaged in the reception, processing and registration of both archaeological and ethnographic collections, compiling for the last collection inventories, cards for individual exhibits on ethnography, etc. ^{[11, l. 58, 60-61]}; ^{[12, l. 2, 3, 77, 78, 80, 100]}; ^{[16, L. 49]}.

However, as the MAE museum collection grew and the volume of work increased, the ethnographic collections were allocated to a separate fund, the head of which in 1985 was appointed S. H. Dolotkazina. Later, at various times, this position was held by A. R. Ganeeva, Z.G. Abdullina, Z. I. Minibayeva, M. A. Platonova, E. E. Nikonorova, I. M. Mineeva and others ^{[16, L. 22]}; ^{[13, L. 68]}; ^{[8, pp. 26-27]}. A special place was occupied by anthropological collections, with which R.M. Yusupov worked for many years. A separate room was equipped for their storage and processing in the basement of the MAE ^{[13, l. 13-14]}.

Natalia Georgievna herself continued to deal with archaeological collections (which make up most of the entire collection of the MAE), the number of which continued to grow. By the mid-1990s, their number was 877 ^{[21, p. 88]}, in 2007 (when Natalia Georgievna passed away) – 923 collections. Thanks to the work done by the beginning of the 1980s, in a relatively short time, archaeological funds were created in the museum, which reflected the main stages of the ancient and medieval history of the region ^{[6, pp. 76-77]}.

In the future, N. G. Rutto continued to work on the acquisition, accounting and storage of archaeological funds. However, over time, along with the reception of new artifacts, she had to deal with the reconciliation of old archaeological collections. All these works were carried out under the supervision and with the direct participation of Natalia Georgievna. She also participated in the MAHE re-exhibitions held in 1989 and 2002. In addition, she took a permanent part in the organization of temporary exhibitions.

The gradual transformation of the MAE archaeological collection into a coherent system of scientifically organized collections provided with complete accounting documentation allowed them to begin cataloguing, making them accessible to both research scientists and a wide range of readers. N. G. Rutto prepared and published two catalogs of the MAE archaeological collections. The first of them, published in 1994, contained data on collections of the Stone, Bronze and Early Iron Age ^[5]. The second catalog, published in 1997, included information on materials from the Middle Ages ^[17]. It is also noteworthy that Natalia Georgievna became the compiler of one of the first catalogs of the ethnographic collections of the MAE, dedicated to Bashkir breast ornaments, which was published in 2006 ^[1].

Simultaneously with the stock and exposition work, Natalia Georgievna was engaged in research activities. She participated in the development of the collective themes of the plans of research works of the IIAL BF of the USSR Academy of Sciences and the CEE of the UNC RAS. In different years, as part of the IIAL expeditions, she participated in the excavations of such archaeological heritage sites as the Chishminskaya parking lot and village, the Kara-Yakupovskaya parking lot, the Abdulovskoye settlement, etc. In these expeditions, she was mainly engaged in field cameral processing of discovered artifacts ^{[16, L. 46, 49]}.

Studying the problems of intercultural interaction between the Srubny and Alakul population and the conditions for the formation of syncretic cultural formations in the Southern Urals, Natalia Georgievna successfully studied the monuments of the Bronze Age. In 2000, she defended her PhD thesis on the topic "Historical and cultural processes of the Late Bronze Age in the Belsko-Ural interfluve (Srubno-Alakul interrelations)" ^[22]. In total, N. G. Rutto published dozens of scientific articles ^{[16, L. 67-68]} and a monograph ^[23].

As part of her research work, Natalia Georgievna constantly participated in scientific seminars, conferences, symposiums both inside the Institute and outside Bashkortostan. She gave lectures to schoolchildren of Ufa schools on the topics "Archaeological monuments of Ufa", "What is archeology?", etc., took part in conducting excursions in the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography. Natalia Georgievna led an active social activity, in different years she worked in the local committee, where she headed the sports commission, was a member of the people's control group of the IIAL, a member of the Audit Commission of the trade union committee of the Institute, was a trade union of the archeology sector, etc. ^{[16, L. 45-46, 49-50]}.

For her fruitful long-term work in the field of the development of archaeological science and museum business, for her great contribution to the preservation of historical and cultural heritage, she was repeatedly encouraged by the leadership of the IIAL, twice awarded Honorary Diplomas of the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in 2006 Natalia Georgievna Rutto was awarded the honorary title "Honored Worker of Culture of the Republic of Bashkortostan".

An important stage in the development of the archaeological collection of the MAE was the excavations of A. H. Pshenichnyuk in the Ilek district of the Orenburg region in 1986-1990, during which the famous collection of Sarmatian treasures – objects made of gold and silver was found. Their appearance was the reason for discussing the issue of placing the museum in a more adapted room with appropriate conditions for storing and exhibiting museum valuables made of precious metals ^{[8, p. 14]}.

After the collection was received by the MAE, Natalia Georgievna took full care of the exhibits, carried out their description and scientific attribution. Together with R. G. Kuzeev, she successfully solved the issues of creating a special repository, restoring finds, testing objects made of precious metals. For the first time, she carried out the description and scientific attribution of unique artifacts, developed the concepts of permanent exhibitions at the MAE and temporary exhibitions in Russia and abroad ^{[4, p. 70]}.

In this regard, it is necessary to note the titanic work of N. G. Rutto in organizing and holding the exhibition "Golden Deer of Eurasia", which in 2000-2003 was exhibited with great success in the USA, Italy, as well as in the largest museums in Russia, such as the State Hermitage and the State Historical Museum. After a new building was allocated for the MAE in 2006 – the old mansion of Ponosova-Mollo on K. Marx St., N. G. Rutto was entrusted with the development of the concept and thematic and exposition plan of the exhibition, called "Sarmatian Gold", with which she coped brilliantly ^{[20, p. 68]}.

Unfortunately, Natalia Georgievna did not see the results of her work, since on May 17, 2007 she suddenly passed away, not having lived a few months before the opening of the renovated Museum of Archeology and Ethnography, which took place on October 10, 2007. Nevertheless, the exposition "The Gold of the Sarmatians", located in three halls of the MAE, has become a kind of monument to the life and work of N. G. Rutto.

After Natalia Georgievna's departure, her colleagues - curators S. V. Ryazanov, A.V. Valeev, Z. R. Khabibullina, I. G. Petrov, E. V. Kamaleev, each of whom contributed to their development, continued scientific and stock work with archaeological collections in different years. Currently, the staff of the Scientific and auxiliary department of accounting and storage of scientific funds of the IEI is taking care of the funds of archeology under the leadership of M.U. Mukhametshina.

Memories of Natalia Georgievna live in the hearts of her acquaintances, relatives, relatives, friends and colleagues. For the staff of the R. G. Kuzeev Institute of Ethnological Research, the International Museum Day, traditionally celebrated on May 18, became the day of remembrance of a beloved and respected colleague, a wonderful and bright person Natalia Georgievna Rutto.

On May 20, 2016, the All-Russian Scientific and Practical conference "Historical and cultural processes in the Southern Urals in the Late Bronze Age", dedicated to the 70th anniversary of N. G. Rutto, was held at the Institute of Ethnological Studies named after R. G. Kuzeev of the UFIC RAS, based on the results of which a collection of materials was published ^[3]. The conference heard speeches by colleagues and friends, which highlighted different aspects of Natalia Georgievna's life and work, as well as reports and reports related to the study of the Late Bronze Age, including those related to the issues of Srubno-Alakul intercultural interaction, which was studied by N. G. Rutto.

Conclusion. Natalia Georgievna Rutto worked almost all her life at the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of the IEI, where she worked her way up from a laboratory assistant to a senior researcher, deputy director and made a huge contribution to its development.

She was at the origin of the acquisition of the museum collection and played an extremely important role in the formation of the archaeological funds of the MAE. N. G. Rutto not only engaged in accounting, systematization, acquisition and storage, but also cataloging the museum collections of the museum, thus contributing to the popularization of scientific knowledge. Natalia Georgievna took an active part in the creation and renovation of the exposition of the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of the IEI, in the organization of temporary and visiting exhibitions. N. G. Rutto conducted successful research activities, studying the Srubno-Alakul interaction in the Southern Urals in the Late Bronze Age.