Victor V. Alekseev

Associate Professor, PhD in History, Associate Professor of the Department of Source Studies

Lomonosov Moscow State University

(Moscow, Russia)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22405/2712-8407-2022-1-6-12

Abstract. The article touches upon theoretical and methodological issues related to the study of material sources. Things are treated as an integral component of the entire sphere of material culture, i. e. the artificial environment, which is created by creative and productive efforts of man. Based on this, a scientific definition is given of what a material source is. It is noted that the specificity of material sources is that they are syncretic carriers of three types of information: visual, i. e. about the visually perceived image of a thing; tactile, which gives an idea of the material from which the thing is made; spatial, which conveys the three-dimensional volume of the thing and its location in space. The tasks of the source study of material sources are considered, which are aimed at attribution of material objects from the point of view of the most accurate determination of the functional purpose, date and place of origin, authorship and other characteristics. It is also noted that in the study of material sources, it is necessary to resort to a wide arsenal of general scientific, natural scientific and historical methods proper. Deductive and inductive methods, systemic and constructive-morphological approaches are applicable from general scientific ones. The use of natural science methods (chemical, physical, biological, etc.) makes it possible to clarify certain aspects of material sources, to find out their physical and chemical characteristics. It is permissible to borrow from archaeology a typological method that is suitable for the historical and cultural study of things. Of the historical methods proper, the most suitable are the methods of historical-genetic, historical-comparative, descriptive and the method of historical analogy, thanks to which it is possible to identify the dependence of the evolution of things on natural and climatic conditions, the achieved technological level of production, functional purpose, folk traditions, aesthetic views. In addition, it is necessary to rely on a set of specialized methods and techniques that have developed within auxiliary historical disciplines. In most cases, a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach is needed, which lets organize the facts in order to comprehend concrete historical material and create a holistic picture of the existence of the material world of bygone historical epochs. Specific methodological techniques are demonstrated on individual examples that allow dating things, determining the circle of authors/creators, belonging to a certain social or ethnic group, establishing gender aspects, the influence of cultural tradition and cross-cultural ties, etc.
Keywords: historical science, source studies, theoretical and methodological problems, material sources, methods and methodology of research.

Full text of the article (PDF)

For citation: Alekseev, VV 2022, ‘Tasks, methods and methodological techniques of the source study of material sources’, Tula Scientific Bulletin. History. Linguistics, issue 1 (9), pp. 6–12, http://doi.org/10.22405/2712-8407-2022-1-6-12 (in Russ.)

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