The activities of the “Dolina” expedition in memory of N. I. Orlov in the context of the development of the search movement in Northwestern Russia in the 1980s-1990s

The aim of this study is to analyze the search activities of the “Dolina” expedition in memory of N. I. Orlov, carried out in the Novgorod region during the 1980s and 1990s, within the broader context of the development of the search movement in Northwestern Russia. The research is based on published materials from the expedition appearing in periodicals. The article explores the origins of search operations in the Novgorod region as part of the nationwide movement, presenting data on the first Memory Watches and the results of search seasons between 1988 and 1999. It also examines issues related to the official recognition of the “Dolina” expedition at the state level, as well as the main methodologies employed in archival search and fieldwork. The scientific novelty of the study lies in providing summarized data on the regional component of exhumation and memorial activities that laid the foundation for search operations in Russia. As a result, the article presents the outcomes of the analytical work, identifies problems encountered during the documentary formalization of the expedition, and discusses commemorative methodologies.