The article is devoted to anniversary of Svetlana G. Efimova – the famous Russian craniologist, an expert on the physical anthropology of ancient and modern population of the Volga-Ural region. The authors present the milestones of the biography of the researcher, the important events of her scientific career, most of which are associated with the Anuchin Institute and Museum of Anthropology (Lomonosov Moscow State University). The authors also analyze the scientific works of Svetlana G. Efimova, primarily characterized by her articles on the craniology of the medieval population of Volga Bulgaria. Attention is drawn to her fundamental treatises on the craniology of the Europepeoples and especially – peoples of Russian plains, on methodological innovations in the field of craniophenetics and biometrics, contained in her publications.