The article is dedicated to the anniversary of Valentin Lavrentievich Yanin – most prominent archaeologist and historian of Ancient Rus, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, laureate of state and academic awards, founder and permanent Head of the Novgorod archaeological expedition, long-term Head of the Department of Archaeology of the Faculty of History at Lomonosov Moscow State University (1978–2016), the author of more than 20 monographs, a member of the Editorial Board of the journal The Volga River Region Archaeology.