This publication is dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the famous archaeologist, founder and leader of the Lipetsk archaeological community, candidate of historical sciences, associate professor of the Department of Russian and World History of the Leningrad State Pedagogical University named after P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky Alexander Nikolaevich Bessudnov. The first section of the collection combines publications of both a memoir and a scientific nature, reflecting various aspects of the life of the hero of the day. The problems of other sections cover the circle of the main scientific interests of the hero of the day: the era of stone, the history of science. The inclusion in the publication of individual articles of a different thematic orientation is due to the desire of their authors to congratulate the hero of the day in this way.