“Center of Musical Antiquities” of V. I. Povetkin

The Center of Musical Antiquities has been in existence since 1990, when a building was built specifically for it in Veliky Novgorod at Iliina street, 9b. Throughout 1990, the Center of Musical Antiquities existed as a public organization under the Soviet Cultural Fund, headed by academician D. S. Likhachev, who took the building on the balance of the cultural fund. From this time to 2009, V. I . Povetkin carried out constant work on the decoration of the center. He created a unique design of the hall (1996) and other internal rooms and a log extension with carved “towels” and a ridge on the roof was built (1999). His latest work is a wooden front porch (2009).

The Center of Musical Antiquities runs a scientific program to identify and restore the forms and sounds of ancient musical instruments from the 10th–15th centuries, the evidence of which archaeologists discovered in the old part of Veliky Novgorod. In addition to musical instruments such as strings (harps, horns) and woodwinds (sopels, Jewish harps, whistles, and many other things) there are many signaling and self-sounding objects (bells, noisy pendants, rattles, etc.). A unique database of primary sources was formed for the musical instruments of the European medieval city.

Thanks to V. I .Povetkin’s proposed new methodology for the reconstruction of archaeological musical instruments as well as the original research program developed by him, the promising direction of musical archaeology has reached a new level in modern Russian archaeology. The cultural and educational program at the Center of Musical Antiquities generally contributes to the recognition of the best customs and views of the Russian people.

According to the accumulated materials, the reconstruction method, and the program directly related to the holidays of the national calendar, the Center of Musical Antiquities is a national Russian and European treasure.