Archaeology of Nalychevo Nature Park

The first information on the Itelmen settlement at the mouth of the Nalychevo River appeared in "The Description of Kamchatka" by S.P. Krasheninnikov: " …an outlet from a small lake, called Shotokhchu, better known as the Nalacheva River: about six versts (translators note: one verst equals 1.06 km) from Uzhinkuzh to the Nalacheva River, while the lake from which it flows is about seven versts long and four versts wide, and is located not from the sea. At the mouth of the Nalacheva River there is a settlement called Shotokhchu (with three yurts and nine huts on stilts). This small river therefore is worthy to note, because here ends the jurisdiction of the Bolsheretsky settlement, and places to the north all the way to Chazhma belong to the Upper Kamchatka settlement… The Koakach River is about 26 versts from the Nalacheva. Cossacks call it Ostrovnaya (Island) River, for across from its mouth near the sea coast is a small rocky island (Krasheninnikov Island), where Kamchatka people live in summer to fish and hunt sea animals. Between the Nalycheva and Ostrovnaya rivers, a small rocky cape extends into the sea (Cape Nalychevo), on which stands the Itythoch settlement, where Kamchatka people from Ostrovnaya River reside in winter" (S.P. Krasheninnikov, 1949).

In the mid-19th century geologist K. Ditmar, who traveled along the eastern coast of the peninsula, noticed the remains of ancient dwellings here: "there were many yurts from the mouth of the Nalycheva River to Bichevinskaya Bay and up to the cape of the Shipunsky coast…" (Ditmar, 1901).

From 1909-1911, W.I. Jochelson was researching archeological monuments of Kamchatka. He investigated a number of ancient dwellings at the mouth of the Nalycheva River and on the shores of Nalychevo Lake (Jochelson, 1928). He concluded that, based the similarity of clay implements used by Itelmen people found near Nalychevo Lake and Cape Nalychevo with those of the Ainu people, the two cultures had associated with one another. It is possible that the Itelmen learned pottery-making skills from the Ainu.

From 1972-1975, a complex archeological expedition under the leadership of T.M. Dikova investigated ancient sites at the mouth of the Nalycheva River and on the shores of Nalychevo Lake. She also made archeological investigations in the valley of the Nalychevo River, six kilometers upstream from its mouth. On Nalychevo Lake she noted the "enormous number of pits-yurts". According to radiocarbon dating of coal samples, the settlement with the large number of yurts had existed during different periods (Dikova, 1983). There were dwellings from both the Stone Age and the Ceramic Era, which came much later. The remains of a flat-bottomed ceramic vessel found here (the only such pot found on southern Kamchatka) tells something about when ceramic pots first appeared on the eastern side of Kamchatka (about 950 years ago).

The results of archeological excavations allow us to gain insight into the lives of ancient people living in the valley of the Nalycheva River. This region, especially the area along the shores of Nalychevo Lake, was densely settled nearly a thousand years ago, while parts of the watershed were visited by Neolithic hunters 4-5,000 years ago. Ancient inhabitants were engaged in fishing, hunting, and hunting and collecting marine products. Fragments of flat-bottomed clay vessels, oil lamps for illumination, stone knives, arrowheads, scrapers, addices, axes, grinding plates, a sinker for nets, and pieces of pumice were found in the dwellings. Numerous pits for storing meat and fish supplies were found near the dwellings. All these materials testify to the unique features of the local tribes and to the existence of close ties with inhabitants of the Kuril Islands and central areas of the peninsula.

It is likely that further investigations and excavations will lead to discovery of new historical artifacts, allowing us to learn more about the life and culture of the people who inhabited the territory of the present-day nature park ages ago. We should not forget our history!