NAS was founded by three graduates of Faculty of History of Zaporizhya National University — Oleg Tuboltsev, Dmitry Kobalia and Igor Pashenko. NAS came all the way from a small archaeological children’s club to a large international organization that particularly focuses on happiness and satisfaction of every participant. The School is not about lessons and is not a tourist attraction. It is rather a space where people interact with cultural heritage. A found artifact comes a long processing way — description, research and reconstruction — to disclose the truth behind it. We don’t pave this way alone. Groups from all over Ukraine join us. NAS members work in the USA, Canada and Italy and our papers are published in Cambridge, Milan and Canberra.

Outstanding results are important, but we value openness way more. Everyone can leave us a message or give us a call and join in. We will be happy to welcome newcomers in the field on in the lab (where we process the finds and create public presentations – scientific papers, lectures etc. From the age of 14, NAS members contribute to science. They take part in conferences, popularize archaeology and cultural heritage, contribute to its protection and preservation.

Archaeology is not a rocket science, but still, it is quite complex and demands knowledge and skills. Archaeologists’ talents are so vast, so they are sometimes even contradictory. But among our reliable members, teens are able to learn this complex science and consequently, develop their personality immensely. We help them on this way. Aside from regular archaeological routine, they learn information technologies in archaeology, 3D-modelling, drawing, photography, rhetoric etc. Expedition taught many of us how to kayak, start a campfire, shovel and cook outdoors.

NAS membership is a perfect foundation for a History Faculty student, though this is not an obligatory way. Our results are unique because our approach is multidisciplinary and diverse. Cooperative work with experts in different fields is the key to our achievements. Among them – discovery of Zaporizhya historical roots, Ukraine’s oldest sculptures (more than 10 000 years old) and a unique Bronze Age object. But the most interesting is yet to come. Every year our organization grows and our methods develop.