The word “culture” is believed to be first mentioned in the thesis “De Agri Cultura” of Roman writer and statesman Marcus Porcius Cato. The word culture literally means «cultivating land». This is a notion that has many meanings in different spheres. The Russian language borrowed the word «культура» only in the 1930s of the previous century. By culture spheres of human life connected with man’s self-expression and self-manifestation are usually meant. It has to do with everything that bears human subjectivity (character, competences, knowledge and skills). Culture is an object of studies in many sciences.Different sciences suggest more than 250 definitions of culture that encompass the scope of this social phenomenon. This definition was given by many scholars and in the broadest sense is understood as everything that appeared as a result of human activity. Usually culture is related to a definite society, nation or social group. We speak, for instance, about Russian, English, American culture, culture of a city or village, implying that in every society there is a specific, different from others, system of intertwined norms, customs, traditions, beliefs and values that is shared by most its members.In what epoch culture as a phenomenon is believed to be first mentioned?