In Russia, the most ancient vessel for traveling over water was unearthed in 1956. The expedition, led by Viktor Andreyevich Afonyushkin, was organized by the Voronezh Regional Museum of Local Lore. The boat from the museum’s collection was discovered in a washed-out area of the right bank of a river near the village of Shchuchye, in the Liskinsky district of the Voronezh Oblast. It was later determined that the item dated back to the late third or early second millennium BCE.
The condition of the fragment of the boat protruding from the ground was quite poor. Local residents attempting to excavate the boat damaged it. Members of the expedition retrieved the broken-off rear portion, measuring approximately two meters in length, from the river’s bottom downstream. The combined length, comprising the two discovered sections, amounted to 623 centimeters.
The boat was constructed from an oak log with a diameter of 60–70 centimeters. There is minimal evidence that the wood was processed. It is likely that it gradually became smoother over time while the boat was in use. The bow section is currently housed in the Voronezh Museum of Local Lore, while the majority of the craft is preserved in the State Historical Museum.
The rich ecosystem of the Don region has long attracted fishermen, and there is evidence to suggest that the inhabitants of the Paleolithic period were also familiar with the practice of fishing. During the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, fishing gained increased importance, with numerous artifacts related to the harvesting of aquatic life having been discovered in the Don area, including harpoons, spears, and fish hooks.
A variety of large fish species have been found in local rivers, including sturgeon and beluga. In the past, fishermen used traditional dugout boats to navigate these rivers. One of the most common methods of boat construction was to burn and dig out the inside of a tree trunk. This involved burning the interior with hot coals and resin, and controlling the flame using wet materials such as clay or grass.
