An effort is being made to find out the objective bounds of cultural geography, its subject of inquiry, interrelations with already formed areas of human geography. It is emphasized that the numerous mental images, the rational amount of which is fairly neglected by the representatives of cultural geography, are often much more logically fitted with sociological, philosophical, culturological, art contexts of study, but not the geographical ones. The article does not dispute the objective existence of the corresponding fields of knowledge, associated with the study of culture phenomenon. The concern of geographers is defending the natural component of cultural geography.

The unique archaeologial site of Neolithic-Early Metal Age, Okhta-1, was excavated at the mouth of the Okhta River, located in the St. Petersburg city. The past environment of the ancient settlements was reconstructed by the means of investigations of the cultural layer deposits by the complex of research methods: archaeological, litho-logical, mineralogy-geochemical methods, palynological, diatom analysis and radiocarbon dating. The obtained data allowed us to connect the dynamics of cultural development with changes of the region's palaeogeography. The first people began to occupy the coast of shallow sea bay after the Littorina transgression, about 4070 BC The carries of Pit and Pit-Comb cultural tradition of the Late Neolithic primary used the region as an area for hunting and fishing, which prevailed in their economic activities. After a short break related to the deterioration of environmental conditions around 3500 years BC, the next phase of occupation of the coastal zone began at about 3200-3000 BC. By this time the warm and humid climatic conditions have been set on the coast. the settlements in the residential and business areas and the burials of the Late Neolithic-Chalcolithic have appeared. Various types of ceramics were spread among the material culture: asbestos, ceramics doped with down and feathers, pottery with fireclay. These data are so far the first comprehensive study on the territory of Okhta-1 monument.

Geoimages created by Google Earth with Panoramio, are the new source of data on the perception of geographical reality, and regional preferences of a mass representative of the Information Society. Users of the service, the authors of photographs incorporated within the geoimage, participate in formation of the virtual images of regions. The analysis of images' content has revealed the domination of cultural information. The cores with high content of photographical images correspond with the tourist centers full of cultural and natural sights. The local cores are confinded to the cultic objects (monasteries, temples), it may be situated in the distant regions aside from the main touristic routes.
The structure of virtual image of the Novgorod region partly follows the features of settlement system, structure of the hydrographical system, transport network. The clearly expressed polarization of the virtual space (a combination of cores concentration and information «deserts») reflects the objective indicators of spatial development and the objective perception of geographical reality, the scientific content is server user. Photographs record everyday patterns of geographical reality, the scientific content is low. Inferiority of virtual images of the region is closely linked with the current state of geographic education and enlightenment. Studies of the level of virtual development of the region have practical value and may be demanded for educational programs and projects for tourism development.