Scientific committee on historical necropolises of NC ICOMOS, Russia

The Scientific Committee on Historical Necropolises (abbreviated as NNCIN) was established by the decision of the Council of NC ICOMOS, Russia from 27.11.2017. The Statute of the NNCIN was adopted by the members of the Committee on 10.04.2018 and approved by the decision of the Council of NC ICOMOS, Russia on 12.04.2018.

The main sphere of activity of the NNCIN is the study and preservation of historical cemeteries and individual burials on the territory of Russia and necropolises of compatriots outside the Russian Federation. The concept of cemetery and necropolis within the framework of these Regulations are equivalent.

The concept of “historical necropolis” is not currently defined. Historic cemeteries are usually considered to be necropolises created before 1917, and their initial temporal boundary is not limited. At the same time, military and other memorial cemeteries of the 20th century (many of them are cultural heritage sites), as well as burials of prominent personalities of any historical periods can be considered historical necropolises. The scope of the NNCIN also includes individual burials outside the cemeteries’ territories, such as burials of outstanding personalities outside the cemeteries. Formulating the concept of “historical necropolis” is one of the main tasks of NNCIN.

In order to achieve the task of formulating the concept of “historical necropolis”, NNCIN plans joint scientific workshops, meetings, consultations and other activities with the national scientific committees of NC ICOMOS, Russia and other interested individuals and organizations.

The objectives of NNCIN are:

  1. Study of historical necropolises, Russian necropolis abroad, development of memorial sculpture, architecture and art, cemetery architecture of temples and religious buildings.
  2. Preservation of historical cemeteries in Russia and Russian necropolis abroad, including the protection of destroyed necropolises, individual graves and burial sites of victims of mass repressions and military conflicts, placing individual graves and entire cemeteries under state protection as objects of cultural heritage, museumization of especially outstanding necropolises in Russia and abroad.
  3. Promotion of especially outstanding necropolises of Russia to the UNESCO List of World Cultural Heritage Sites.
  4. Promotion of restoration and restoration of tombstones-monuments, historical burials, cemetery buildings and temples, installation of memorial signs, plaques, monuments.
  5. Cooperation with public authorities, specialized organizations of funeral business, public organizations, international and intergovernmental structures in the established sphere of activity of the NNCIC.
  6. Maintaining and popularizing the register of historical graves of outstanding figures of Russian history, culture and science.
  7. Guardianship of abandoned graves of prominent figures, involvement of interested persons in guardianship of such graves;
  8. Study and popularization of funerary culture of Russia, peculiarities of funerary rites of different peoples of Russia.

NNCIN leadership:

  • President of NNCIN: Kobak Alexander Valerievich – Executive Director of the D. S. Likhachev Foundation, member of the Council of the St. Petersburg Branch of ICOMOS NC, Russia.
  • Vice-President of NNCIN: Lavrentiev Nikolay Vladimirovich – member of the member of the St. Petersburg Branch of ICOMOS NC, Russia.
  • Secretary General of the NSNCIN: Popov Ilya Vasilievich – member of the St. Petersburg Branch of the ICOMOS NC, Russia, Deputy Chairman of the St. Petersburg Mitrofanievsky Union.

Contacts:

  • Address: 15 Mokhovaya Street, St. Petersburg, 191028 (right entrance), D. S. Likhachev Foundation.