Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited the excavation site near the St Trinity Church in Novgorod, where he talked with archaeologists for nearly an hour. They are excavating an area that dates back to the 10th-11th centuries and have reported more than 1,300 finds. The prime minister was shown the 1000th birch-bark manuscript, found in July this year. In the past, Novgorod residents used birch bark to write personal letters and exchange news. The first such manuscript was found at the excavation site on July 26, 1951. Scientists have established that a church secretariat was probably located on the site near the St Trinity Church they are excavating now, as the manuscripts often include requests for various objects needed for church operation. Mr Putin was also shown a unique artefact, a leaden seal of Svyatoslav, the son of Yaroslav the Wise. Experts say the seal was probably worn on a neck chain or string. They showed the prime minister a unique handle of an ancient whip they found at the archbishop's residence in the Novgorod Kremlin. The inscription on the handle reads: "The devil is the fool's best friend." It also has images of animals and a man being flayed by that whip. Mr Putin took part in the excavations: he sifted the soil from the excavation site and found an artefact. When the archaeologists said it was nothing of value, he asked if he could keep it. [...]