The Shigir Sculpture, or Shigir Idol (Russian: Шигирский идол), is the oldest known wooden sculpture in the world, made during the Mesolithic period, shortly after the end of the last Ice Age. The wood it was carved from is approximately 11,500 years old. It is displayed in the Sverdlovsk Regional Museum of Local Lore in Yekaterinburg, Russia. == Discovery == The sculpture was discovered on January 24, 1894 at a depth of 4 m (13 ft) in the peat bog of Shigir, on the eastern slope of the Middle Urals, approximately 100 km (62 mi) from Yekaterinburg. Investigations in this area had begun 40 years...

A banya or banja (Russian: баня [ˈbanʲʌ]) is originally a Slavic steam bath with a stove and has old Slavic roots. The small room or building designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions or an establishment with one or more of these facilities always played an important role in the countries culture. The steam and high heat make the bathers perspire. In the Russian language, the word banya may also refer to a public bathhouse, most historically famous being the Sanduny (Sandunovskie bani). == History == A mention of the banya is found in the Radzivill Chronicle in the story ...

Жо́стовская ро́спись — русский народный художественный промысел росписи кованых металлических (жестяных) подносов, существующий с 1825 года в деревне Жостово Мытищинского района Московской области. Основной мотив жостовской росписи — цветочный букет. == История росписи == История Жостово и жостовского промысла восходит к началу 19-го века, когда в ряде подмосковных сел и деревень бывшей Троицкой волости (ныне Мытищинский район Московской области) — Жостово, Осташково, Хлебникове, Троицком и других — возникли мастерские по изготовлению расписных лакированных изделий из папье-маше. Традиции этой...