Russian geographer and traveler, researcher Central Asia PC. Kozlov was born on October 3 (15), 1863 in the town of Dukhovshchina in the Smolensk province. His mother was constantly busy taking care of the household. My father, a simple and illiterate man, was a small fish and meat merchant and a cattle driver. He paid little attention to his children and did not care about their education and upbringing. Every year, Peter’s father drove herds of cattle from Ukraine for a wealthy cattle dealer; took his son with him. Perhaps it was during these hikes that the boy’s first thoughts about distant travels arose. The boy grew up practically outside the influence of his family. However, thanks to his inquisitive and inquisitive nature, he early became addicted to books, especially travel books, which he became engrossed in. However, childhood, apparently, did not leave pleasant impressions. Already a famous traveler, Kozlov was very stingy with stories about this period of his life.
At the age of 12, he was sent to a four-year school, graduated from it at the age of 16, and, since he had to earn a living, he entered the service in the office of a brewery 66 kilometers from his native Dukhovshchina, in the town of Sloboda, Porech district. The monotonous, uninteresting work in the factory office could not satisfy the lively nature of the young man. He was greedily drawn to learning and began to prepare to enter a teacher's institute.
Not long before that, a period of systematic exploration of Asia began, carried out by various scientific institutes, geographical societies and topographical services of England, France, Germany, Japan and China. The Russian Geographical Society, created in 1845, also became more active. Even before the birth of Pyotr Kozlov, he accomplished his famous journey in the Tien Shan (1856-1857) famous geographer
While young Petya Kozlov was still grazing horses in the meadows of his native Smolensk region, the name and portraits of his fellow countryman Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky, who had successfully explored the Asian expanses since 1870, did not leave the pages of newspapers and magazines. Young people read with delight the fascinating descriptions of Przhevalsky's travels, and more than one young man, reading about the discoveries and exploits of this remarkable traveler, lit up with a dream of the same exploits. Pyotr Kozlov voraciously read everything that was published about Przhevalsky. The articles and books of Przhevalsky himself sparked in him a romantic love for the expanses of Asia, and the personality of the famous traveler in the young man’s imagination took on the appearance of an almost fairy-tale hero. Reading about the legendary Przhevalsky, he began to dream of becoming like the great explorer. But what chances did he have for a similar fate - without education, connections and material support?
A case similar to this helped old fairy tale about Cinderella. Only the role of the poor stepdaughter was taken by a poor peasant youth, and instead of the fairy godmother appeared... Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky himself! Their meeting took place on one of summer evenings 1882 in the town of Sloboda - one of the picturesque corners of the Smolensk region, where just after another expedition the conqueror of Central Asia arrived to rest at his estate Otradnoye. Przhevalsky accidentally saw 19-year-old Kozlov in the evening, in the garden, where the young man was indulging in his favorite dreams of travel. Nikolai Mikhailovich asked what the young man was thinking about. He looked around and froze in amazement and happiness: standing in front of him was Przhevalsky himself, whose image he had imagined so well from portraits. He replied: “I thought that in distant Tibet these stars should seem even brighter than here, and that I would never have to admire them from distant desert ridges.” Such words and the sincerity with which they were spoken could not go unnoticed. Przhevalsky invited Kozlov to his place for a conversation, after which the latter’s fate was sealed. Subsequently, he himself wrote: “I will never forget that day, that day was a significant one for me. After all, not long ago I was only dreaming, only dreaming, as a boy can dream and dream under the strong impression of reading newspapers and magazines about the return to St. Petersburg of the glorious Przhevalsky's expedition... dreamed and dreamed, being terribly far from the real thought of ever meeting face to face with Przhevalsky... And suddenly my dream and dreams came true: suddenly, unexpectedly, that great Przhevalsky, to whom all my aspiration was directed , appeared in Sloboda, was enchanted by its wild charm and settled in it..."
Despite the difference in age and social status, they turned out to be very close-minded people. The famous scientist took his young friend under the protection, step by step introducing him into the world of professional travel. Gradually, a close, sincere friendship began between Przhevalsky and Kozlov. Sensing in Kozlov a man who sincerely loved his work, to which he himself was selflessly devoted, Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky took an ardent part in the life of the young man. In the fall of 1882, he settled P.K. Kozlov at home and began to supervise his studies. The first days of life in Przhevalsky’s estate seemed like a fairy-tale dream to Kozlov. The young man was under the spell of exciting stories about the delights of a wandering life, about the greatness and beauty of the nature of Asia. Pyotr Kozlov firmly decided to become Przhevalsky’s companion in the near future. But first of all, it was necessary to complete secondary education.
In January 1883, P.K. Kozlov successfully passed the exam for full course real school. Having received secondary education, Kozlov had to enroll in military service as a volunteer, since Nikolai Mikhailovich formed his expeditions almost exclusively from military personnel. There were many reasons for this; the main one is the need to skillfully repel frequent armed attacks by warlike natives... After serving for three months, Kozlov was enlisted in the new (fourth) expedition of N.M. Przhevalsky. “My joy had no end,” writes P.K. Kozlov. “Infinitely happy, I experienced the first spring of my real life.”
First trip (1883-1885) P.K. Kozlova on the expedition of N.M. Przhevalsky’s study of Northern Tibet and Eastern Turkestan was brilliant for him practical school. Under the leadership of N.M. himself. Przhevalsky, an experienced and enlightened researcher, he received good training, so necessary to overcome the difficult conditions of the harsh nature of Central Asia, and even a baptism of fire in the fight against the numerically superior armed forces of the population, which was repeatedly set against Russian travelers by local lamas. The first journey turned out to be very difficult. Due to the high humidity, we had to wear wet clothes for a long time. The weapons rusted, personal belongings became damp, the plants collected for the herbarium could not be dried, and wet packs and camel saddles created additional difficulties during the hike. But, nevertheless, Kozlov learned to produce eye survey rough terrain, determine heights, and most importantly - observe nature, noting its main features. In addition, he became practically acquainted with the organization of an expedition in extreme harsh conditions work. By in my own words young traveler, “from that time on, the study of Central Asia became for me the guiding thread that determined the entire course of my future life.”
Returning to his native place two years later, Kozlov continues to actively prepare himself for his chosen path. He expands his knowledge in the field of natural sciences, ethnography, as well as astronomy, working in Pulkovo Observatory. Literally on the eve of departure on his second journey, also under the leadership of Przhevalsky, in the fall of 1887, Peter graduated military school in St. Petersburg and was promoted to officer.
In the fall of 1888, P.K. Kozlov went with N.M. Przhevalsky on his second trip. However, at the very beginning of the journey near the city of Karakol (near Lake Issyk-Kul), the head of the expedition N.M. Przhevalsky fell ill and soon died. He was buried, as requested, on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul. Interrupted by the death of N.M. Przhevalsky's expedition resumed in the fall of 1889 under the leadership of Colonel, and later Major General M.V. Pevtsova. Although Pevtsov took command, he understood that he would not be able to completely replace Przhevalsky and complete the amount of work he had planned. Therefore, it was decided to shorten the route, limiting ourselves to exploring Chinese Turkestan, the northern part of the Tibetan Plateau and Dzungaria. Despite this, the expedition collected rich geographical and historical material, a considerable share of which belonged to P.K. Kozlov, who explored the regions of Eastern Turkestan.
The third expedition (1893-1895), of which P.K. was a participant. Kozlov, was conducted under the leadership of Przhevalsky’s former senior assistant - V.I. Roborovsky. Its task was to explore the region of the Nan Shan mountain range and the northeastern corner of Tibet. On this journey, P.K. Kozlov independently, separately from the caravan, carried out surveys of the surrounding area, walking along some routes up to 1000 km; in addition, he collected the vast majority of samples from the zoological collection. Halfway through the journey, V.I. became seriously ill. Roborovsky. PC. Kozlov took over the leadership of the expedition and brought it safely to the end. He presented a report on the expedition, published under the title “Report of the Assistant Head of the Expedition P.K. Kozlov” (1899).
In 1899-1901 P.K. Kozlov made his first independent journey as the head of the Mongol-Tibetan expedition. 18 people took part in the expedition, 14 of them were from the convoy. The route began from the Altai postal station near the Mongolian border, then it went through the Mongolian Altai, Central Gobi and Kama - the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, almost unknown to the scientific world. Exploring the upper reaches of the Yellow, Yangtze and Mekong rivers, the expedition overcame natural difficulties and also more than once withstood resistance from the natives. Important materials were collected about the orography, geology, climate, vegetation and fauna of the Tibetan Plateau and the little-known Eastern Tibetan tribes. PC. Kozlov made detailed descriptions of numerous lakes (including Lake Kukunor, which lies at an altitude of 3200 m and has a circumference of 385 km), the sources of the Mekong and Yalongjiang rivers (a tributary of the Yangtze River), many mountains, incl. two ridges in the Kunlun system, unknown to science until then. One of them is P.K. Kozlov named the Dutreil-de-Rance ridge, in honor of the famous French traveler in Central Asia, who had recently died at the hands of the Tibetans, and the other - the Woodville-Rockhill ridge, in honor English traveler. In addition, P.K. Kozlov gave brilliant sketches of the economy and life of the population of Central Asia, among which stands out the description of the customs of the Tsaidam Mongols with an extremely complex ritual of celebrating the most important events in life - the birth of a child, weddings, funerals, etc. From this expedition P.K. Kozlov brought back a rich collection of fauna and flora of the areas he traversed. During the expedition, travelers more than once had to fight their way through battles with armed detachments of up to 250-300 people, set against the expedition by local lamas. The almost two-year isolation of the expedition from the outside world was the reason for persistent rumors about its complete destruction that reached St. Petersburg. The Mongol-Tibetan expedition is described by P.K. Kozlov in two large volumes - “Mongolia and Kam” and “Kam and the Way Back”. During this journey P.K. Kozlov was awarded a gold medal by the Russian Geographical Society.
In 1907-1909 P.K. Kozlov made his fifth trip to Central Asia (Mongol-Sichuan Expedition) from Kyakhta to Urga (Ulaanbaatar) and further to the middle and southern parts of Mongolia, the Kukunor region and the northwestern part of Sichuan. The expedition was marked by the discovery in the Gobi sands in the center of Mongolia of the remains of a sand-covered dead city Khara-Khoto, which provided archaeological material of enormous value. Of exceptional importance is the library of 2,000 books discovered during the excavations of Khara-Khoto, mainly in the “unknown” language of the Xi-Xia state, which turned out to be the Tangut language. This was an exceptional discovery: none of the foreign museums or libraries had any significant collection of Tangut books. All finds in Khara-Khoto have important historical and cultural significance, as they clearly depict many aspects of the culture and life of the ancient Tangut state of Xi-Xia. The expedition collected ethnographic materials about the peoples of Mongolia and Tibet, especially on the Buddhist cult and Chinese antiquity. The expedition collected extensive materials on zoology, botany, etc. The collection of woodcuts (clichés) discovered in Khara-Khoto for printing books and religious images hundreds of years before the advent of printing in Europe is remarkable. The world's only collection of paper money from the 13th-14th centuries, discovered in Khara-Khoto, is of great interest. Excavations at Khara-Khoto also yielded a rich set of statues, figurines and all kinds of religious figurines and more than 300 Buddhist images on wood, silk, linen and paper, which were received by the museums of Emperor Alexander III and the Academy of Sciences.
After the discovery of the dead city of Khara-Khoto, the expedition of P.K. Kozlova carefully studied Lake Kukunor, and then the vast little-known territory of Amdo in the bend of the middle reaches of the Yellow River. From this expedition, as well as from the previous one, P.K. Kozlov brought back numerous collections of animals and plants, including many new species and even genera. The results of the expedition are presented by Kozlov in the book “Mongolia and Amdo and the Dead City of Khara-Khoto” (1923).
In 1910, Kozlov received large gold medals from geographical societies, English and Italian. When Russia entered the First World War, Colonel Kozlov asked to be sent to the active army. He was refused and sent to Irkutsk as the head of an expedition to urgently procure livestock for the active army.
After the October Revolution, in December 1917, honorary member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Geographical Society and the Environmental Commission, Major General P.K. Kozlov is sent to the Askania-Nova estate in the Tauride province in order to take measures to protect the zoo and the protected area of the steppe. Sparing no effort, the scientist-traveler took all measures to save the unique natural monument. In October 1918 he reported to the Minister public education: “I was entrusted with the protection of the scientific and cultural parts of this estate. I am happy to say that Askania-Nova was saved: its most valuable corner remained unharmed...” To further protect the reserve, Kozlov asked to transfer it to the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, to recruit 15-20 volunteers for permanent job on the estate, and even “release at least under my responsibility 20 rifles, 20 revolvers and 20 sabers, in addition, the corresponding (about one hundred cartridges for a gun and the same for a revolver) number of cartridges, the use of which is allowed only as a last resort.” At the end of 1918, in the most difficult times Civil War, thanks to the efforts of P.K. Kozlov, 470 people already worked in Askania.
Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov left detailed memories of those terrible days: “At the end of December 1919, the White Guards occupied Askania-Nova. The Cossacks and soldiers of Colonel Morozov’s detachment blocked all the nooks and crannies of the zoological garden. There was shooting, screaming, and laughter. The picture was amazing: the animals were rushing anywhere. In the emu room, next to the nest of the unfortunate birds, busy hatching eggs, the Cossacks set up their horses. As soon as the Whites retreated, the Reds entered Askania-Nova, first in the form of a small reconnaissance, and then a whole regiment. The regiment in its entirety scattered throughout the zoo. In mortal fear, the unfortunate animals again ran around pen, and the deer ran up a snowdrift and disappeared into the steppe. In addition, the soldiers brought with them a dog, which strangled a New Zealand firebug, a bean goose and a pair of Benetti kangaroos in the garden. On the same day, one kangaroo was killed by a rifle bullet... "
In 1922, the Soviet government decided to launch an expedition to Central Asia. Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov was appointed head of the expedition. He was 60 years old, but he was still full of strength and energy. His wife Elizaveta Vladimirovna, an ornithologist, also went with him. During the sixth trip he made in 1923-1926, P.K. Kozlov explored the relatively small territory of Northern Mongolia and the upper basin of the Selenga River. However, here too he received large scientific results: in the Noin-Ula mountains (130 km northwest of Urga) P.K. Kozlov discovered 212 burial grounds that turned out to be Hunnic burials dating back 2,000 years ago and excavated them. This was the greatest archaeological discovery of the 20th century. Numerous objects of ancient culture were discovered, from which it is possible to reconstruct the economy and life of the Huns from the 2nd century. BC. to the 1st century AD Among them were a large number of artistically executed fabrics and carpets from the times of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom, which existed from the 3rd century. BC. until the 2nd century AD in the northern part of modern Iran, Afghanistan and northwestern India. In terms of the abundance of examples of Greco-Bactrian art, the Noin-Ula collection has no equal in the world.
And on the top of Ikhe-Bodo in the Mongolian Altai, at an altitude of about three thousand meters, the expedition discovered an ancient khan’s mausoleum. But the most amazing discovery was made in the mountains of Eastern Khangai, where the tomb of thirteen generations of Genghis Khan’s descendants was found. Peter Kozlov became one of the first Europeans accepted by the ruler of Tibet. Dalai Lama Agwan-Lobsan-Tubdan Jamtso gave Kozlov a pass to Lhasa - half a silk card with teeth on the edge. The second half was with the mountain guard on the outskirts of the capital of Tibet. However, the British, who took all measures to prevent the Russians from entering Lhasa, disrupted this trip and Kozlov, unfortunately, never got to Lhasa. The travel diaries were published under the title "Travel to Mongolia. 1923-1926."
Seventy-year-old Pyotr Kuzmich still dreamed of travel, planned a trip to Lake Issyk-Kul to once again bow to the grave of his teacher, climb to the snows of Khan Tengri, discovered by Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, and see the peaks Heavenly Mountains, covered blue ice. But the sixth journey of P.K. Kozlova was the last. After that, he lived in retirement in Leningrad, Kyiv, but mostly in the village of Strechno, 50 km from Staraya Russa. There he built a small log cabin and lived in it with his wife. Soon P.K. Kozlov gained great popularity among local youth. He organized a circle of young naturalists, who began to teach collections, accurate scientific definition animals and plants, dissection of birds and animals. Despite his advanced age, he often traveled around the country and spoke to various audiences with exciting stories about his travels. PC. Kozlov was an excellent storyteller and lecturer. His appearances in print are no less interesting. Peru P.K. Kozlov owns over 60 works. Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov was world famous as a researcher of Central Asia. The Russian Geographical Society awarded P.K. Kozlov medal named after N.M. Przhevalsky and elected him an honorary member, and Ukrainian Academy Sciences he was elected in 1928 full member. Among Central Asian researchers P.K. Kozlov occupies one of the most honorable places. In the field of archaeological discoveries in Central Asia, he is unique among all researchers of the 20th century.
P.K. died Kozlov from cardiac sclerosis in a sanatorium in Peterhof on September 26, 1935. The scientist and traveler was buried at the Smolensk Lutheran cemetery.
A glacier in the Tabyn-Bogdo-Ola ridge is named after Kozlov. In 1963, in connection with the 100th anniversary of his birth, a secondary school in Dukhovshchina was named after him Smolensk region, where he studied. In 1988, by decree of the Leningrad City Council, a memorial museum-apartment for the traveler was opened (Smolny Prospekt, 6, apt. 32), where many rarities brought by Kozlov from distant travels are kept. The Tibetan Culture Hall displays colorful Tibetan icons, a real gong and masks of various Buddhist deities. The library of Tibetan books is amazing. Each of them, consisting of separate, unfastened pages, is wrapped in beautiful material. Many other exhibits of the medieval Tangut kingdom of Xi-Xia, more than 300 examples of painting, metal and wooden figurines are currently kept in the Hermitage. No other museum in the world has such a unique collection.
Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov is one of greatest explorers Central Asia. He didn't just live in an era of great travel. He managed to become one of those who himself created this era. To do this, he had to be a geographer, hydrologist, meteorologist, zoologist, botanist, ornithologist, entomologist, cartographer, astronomer and archaeologist... Companion N.M. Przhevalsky, together with him he completed the elimination of the “blank spot” on the map of Central Asia. Not many people manage to make a discovery in their entire life that changes scientific understanding of a particular era. Traveler and geographer Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov made two of them! In 1909, he found the dead city of Khara-Khoto, and in 1924 he excavated the graves of the Huns in the Noin-Ula tract. Research and discoveries by P.K. Kozlov gained him wide popularity far beyond the borders of our country.
“As far as I can remember,” recalled P.K. Kozlov, “from my adolescence I was possessed by one dream - about a free wandering life in wide open spaces deserts and mountains of the great Asian continent. My whole life has been spent under the banner of a researcher of nature and people in Central Asia." Peter Kozlov's childhood dream was fully realized. Of his 52 years scientific activity, starting from the age of 20, Kozlov devoted about 15 years to expeditions. In other words, for two years of his life in a calm environment there was about a year of wandering.
Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov
Researcher of Central Asia, academician of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (1928). Member of the expeditions of N. M. Przhevalsky, M. V. Pevtsov, V. I. Roborovsky. He led the Mongol-Tibetan (1899-1901 and 1923-1926) and Mongol-Sichuan (1907-1909) expeditions. Opened the leftovers ancient city Khara-Khoto, burial mounds of the Huns (including Noin-Ula); collected extensive geographical and ethnographic materials.
In the city of Sloboda, in the Smolensk region, the famous traveler Przhevalsky accidentally met young Pyotr Kozlov. This meeting radically changed Peter's life. Nikolai Mikhailovich liked the inquisitive young man. Kozlov settled in Przhevalsky’s estate and, under his leadership, began to prepare for exams for a real school course.
A few months later the exams were passed. But Przhevalsky enlisted only military personnel in the expedition, so Kozlov had to enlist in military service. He served in the regiment for only three months, and then was enlisted in Przhevalsky's expedition. This was the fourth expedition of the famous traveler to Central Asia.
In the fall of 1883, the caravan left the city of Kyakhta. The expedition's route lay through the steppe, desert, and mountain passes. The travelers descended into the valley of the Tetunga River, a tributary of the Yellow River - the great Yellow River. "...The handsome Tetung, now menacing, now majestic, now quiet and even, held Przhevalsky and me on his bank for hours and plunged my teacher into the very better mood, into the most heartfelt stories about travel,” wrote Kozlov.
In the upper reaches of the Yellow River, the expedition was attacked by robbers from the wandering Tangut tribe - a horse gang of up to 300 people armed with firearms. The robbers, having received a worthy rebuff, retreated.
Peter learned a lot on his first journey. He conducted visual surveys, determined heights, and helped Przhevalsky in collecting zoological and botanical collections.
Returning from the expedition to St. Petersburg, Kozlov, on the advice of his teacher, entered a military school. After graduation, Pyotr Kuzmich, already with the rank of second lieutenant, was again enlisted in Przhevalsky’s new expedition.
While preparing for a campaign in the city of Karakol on November 1, 1888, Przhevalsky died of typhoid fever.
After the death of Nikolai Mikhailovich - sudden, stunning, it seemed to Kozlov that life had lost all meaning. Many years later, Pyotr Kuzmich wrote: “Tears, bitter tears choked each of us... It seemed to me that such grief could not be survived... And even now it has not yet been experienced!”
He decided to continue Przhevalsky's work. Exploring Central Asia became for him main goal all my life.
The expedition assembled by Przhevalsky was headed by Colonel of the General Staff Pevtsov. Under his leadership, Kozlov again walked through northern Tibet in 1889-1891, visited Eastern Turkestan and Dzungaria. He made several independent trips. Having crossed the Russian ridge, he discovered an intermountain depression behind it, and in it, at an altitude of 4258 meters, a small lake. Along the valley of the river flowing into this lake, Kozlov walked to its upper reaches along the foot of the Russian Ridge and from the Dzhapakaklyk pass he saw the eastern end of the ridge. Together with Roborovsky, he established the length of the Russian Ridge (about 400 kilometers) and completed its discovery. Later, Kozlov explored the second wandering river of the Lop Nor basin - the Konchedarya and Lake Bagrashkul. Kozlov conducted observations of the animal world and collected a zoological collection. For these studies he was awarded a high, recently established award - the Przhevalsky silver medal...
Then there was the third expedition of Pyotr Kuzmich, which was called nothing less than the “expedition of Przhevalsky’s satellites.” Its leader was Vsevolod Ivanovich Roborovsky.
In June 1893, travelers set out from Przhevalsk to the east and walked along the Eastern Tien Shan, following through the least explored areas. Having then descended into the Turfan depression, Roborovsky and Kozlov crossed it in various directions. They took different routes from there to the Sulehe River basin, to the village of Dunhuang (at the foot of Nanshan). Kozlov moved south, to the lower reaches of the Tarim, and studied the Lop Nor basin. He discovered the dried-up ancient bed of the Konchedarya, as well as traces of the ancient Lop Nor, 200 kilometers east of its then location, and finally proved that the Konchedarya is a wandering river, and Lop Nor is a nomadic lake.
In February 1894, travelers began exploring the Western Nianshan. Using different routes during 1894, they crossed it in many places, traced a number of longitudinal intermountain valleys, accurately established the extent and boundaries of individual ridges, correcting and often greatly changing the maps of their predecessors. In winter, intending to pass through the highland country to the southeast, into the Sichuan Basin, in frosts up to 35°, they reached the Amne-Machin ridge (up to 6094 meters) south of Kukunor, beyond the 35th parallel (up to 6094 meters) and crossed it through a wild rocky gorge.
In the depths of Central Asia, on the Tibetan Plateau, Roborovsky suffered from paralysis, and a week later, in February 1895, Kozlov, who took over the leadership of the expedition, turned back. Returning to the Turfan depression, they headed northwest and crossed the Dzosotyn-Elisun sands for the first time. Instead of many of the ridges shown on old maps, Kozlov discovered the Kobbe sands. Having finished their journey in Zaisan at the end of November 1895, Roborovsky and Kozlov traveled to total about 17 thousand kilometers.
During this expedition, Pyotr Kuzmich completed 12 independent routes. In his zoological collection there were three rare specimens of wild animal skins. Kozlov made mainly entomological collections, collecting about 30 thousand insect specimens.
The trip to Central Asia (1899-1901) was his first independent expedition. It was called Mongol-Tibetan: it can be defined as geographical, in contrast to the next two, which are mainly archaeological. In the middle of the summer of 1899, the expedition proceeded from the border along the Mongolian Altai to Lake Orog-Nur and at the same time carried out a detailed study of this mountain system. Kozlov himself walked along the northern slopes of the main ridge, and his companions, botanist Veniamin Fedorovich Ladygin and topographer Alexander Nikolaevich Kaznakov, crossed the ridge several times and also traced the southern slopes. It turned out that the main ridge extends to the southeast in the form of a single mountain range, gradually descending, and ends with the Gichgeniin-Nuru ridge, and then stretches the Gobi Altai, consisting only of a chain small hills and short low spurs. Then all three in different ways crossed the Gobi and Alashan deserts; Having united, they climbed to the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, and bypassed the Kham country, located in the upper reaches of the Yangtze and Mekong rivers, from the north.
In the high mountainous country Kam Kozlov was struck by the extraordinary richness of vegetation and diversity of animal life. The travelers met new specimens unknown to science. From these places Kozlov intended to head to the capital of Tibet, Lhasa, but the head of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, categorically opposed this. The expedition had to change its route.
Kozlov discovered four parallel ridges in a southeastern direction: on the left bank of the Yangtze - Pandittag, on the right - Russian Geographical Society- the watershed between the upper Yangtze and the Mekong, on the right bank of the Mekong - the Woodville-Rockhill ridge, to the south - the Dalai Lama - the watershed of the upper Mekong and Salween basins.
On the way back, after a detailed inventory of Lake Kukunar, the travelers again crossed the Alashan and Gobi deserts. They were expected in Urga. A messenger sent to meet the expedition handed a letter to Kozlov from the Russian consul Ya. P. Shishmarev, which said that “a hospitable shelter is ready to shelter dear travelers.”
On December 9, 1901 we reached Kyakhta. Kozlov's telegram dispelled persistent rumors about their death - for almost two years no information was received from them.
The travelers collected valuable material. The geological collection contained 1,200 rock samples, and the botanical collection contained 25 thousand plant specimens. The zoological collection contained eight birds unknown to science.
After this trip, Kozlov’s name becomes widely known, and not only in scientific circles. They talk about him, write in newspapers, call him the successor of Przhevalsky’s work. The Russian Geographical Society honors him with one of the most honorable awards - the Konstantinovsky gold medal. In addition to major geographical discoveries and magnificent collections - botanical and zoological, he studied little-known and even completely unknown Eastern Tibetan tribes inhabiting the upper reaches of the Yellow River, Yangtze Jiang and Mekong. This expedition is described by Kozlov in his two-volume work “Mongolia and Kam”, “Kam and the Way Back”.
Kozlov, believing that “a settled life is like a cage for a traveler,” began preparations for the next expedition.
He had long been attracted by the mystery of the dead city of Khara-Khoto, lost somewhere in the desert, and the mystery of the Si-Xia people, who disappeared with it. On November 10, 1907, he left Moscow and went on the so-called Mongol-Sichuan expedition. His assistants were topographer Pyotr Yakovlevich Napalkov and geologist Alexander Alexandrovich Chernov. Following from Kyakhta through the Gobi Desert, they crossed the Gobi Altai and reached Lake Sogo-Nur in 1908, in the lower reaches of the right branch of the Zhoshui (Edzin-Gol) River.
Turning south, Kozlov, 50 kilometers later, discovered the ruins of Khara-Khoto, the capital of the medieval Tangut kingdom of Xi-Xia (XIII century).
They entered the city from its western side, passed a small building with a preserved dome - Kozlov thought it resembled a mosque, and found themselves on a vast square area, crossed in all directions by ruins. The foundations of the temples, made of brick, were clearly visible.
Having determined geographical coordinates city and its absolute height, Kozlov began excavations. In just a few days, books, metal and paper money, all kinds of jewelry, and household items were found.
In the northwestern part of the city, we managed to find the remains of a large rich house that belonged to the ruler of Khara-Khoto, Khara-jian-jun. Here was a hidden well, in which, as legend has it, the ruler hid treasures, and then ordered the bodies of his wives, son and daughter, killed by his hand, to be thrown in order to save them from the bullying of the enemy, who had already broken into the eastern walls of the city... These events happened more than five hundred years ago...
The finds were priceless. The stucco decorations of buildings in the form of bas-reliefs, frescoes, rich ceramics - heavy water vessels with ornaments and the famous, extremely thin Chinese porcelain, various objects made of iron and bronze - everything spoke of high culture the Xi-Xia people and their extensive trade connections. Perhaps the life of the once beautiful city would not have been cut short if its ruler, the warrior Khara-jian-jun, had not set out to seize the throne of the Chinese emperor. Whole line The battles that took place near Khara-Khoto ended in the defeat of its ruler and forced Khara-jian-jun to seek salvation outside the walls of the city. The fortress held out until the besiegers blocked the Ruoshui riverbed with sandbags and deprived the city of water. In desperation, through a hole made in the northern wall, the besieged rushed at the enemy, but in an unequal battle, everyone died, including their ruler. Having captured the defeated city, the victors were never able to find the ruler’s treasures...
From Khara-Khoto, the expedition moved southeast and crossed the Alashan desert to the Alashan ridge, with Napalkov and Chernov exploring the territory between the Zhoshui and middle Yellow Rivers and western lane Ordos. In particular, they established that the Ruoshui is the same wandering river as the Tarim, and that the Arbiso ridge, on the right bank of the Yellow River, is the northeastern spur of the Helanshan ridge. Turning to the southwest, the expedition penetrated into the upper bend of the Yellow River - into the highland country of Amdo - and for the first time comprehensively explored it.
The Russian Geographical Society, having received a message about the discovery of the dead city and about the finds made in it, in a response letter suggested that Kozlov cancel the planned route and return to Khara-Khoto for new excavations. Pyotr Kuzmich, following the instructions, turned towards the dead city. But while the letters were traveling to St. Petersburg and back, the expedition managed to make a long trek through the Alashan desert, climb to the alpine lake Kukunar, and go to the highlands of northeastern Tibet, where the Russian travelers had to fight off bandits led by one of the local princes.
In these parts, in the large monastery of Bumbum, Kozlov met - for the second time - with the spiritual ruler of all Tibet - the Dalai Lama Agwan-Lobsan-Tubdan Jamtso.
The Dalai Lama, a cautious and distrustful man who was wary of foreigners as the greatest evil, imbued Kozlov with complete confidence, spent a lot of time talking with him, and as a farewell gift he gave two wonderful sculptural images of Buddha, one of which was showered with diamonds, and in addition invited to Lhasa. The latter was most valuable to Kozlov. How many European explorers dreamed and strived to visit it - and in vain!
The entire return journey to Khara-Khoto, almost 600 miles long, the expedition covered very quickly - in just nineteen days - and at the end of May 1909 they set up camp outside the walls of the dead city. After the Russian expedition, no one had time to visit the excavations. Climbing the walls of the ancient fortress city over 10 meters high, Kozlov saw reserves of pebbles stockpiled by the residents for defense. They hoped to use stones to fight off the attackers...
The excavations had to be carried out in difficult conditions. The earth under the sun heated up to sixty degrees, hot air, flowing from its surface, carried along dust and sand, penetrating against its will into the lungs.
This time, however, interesting finds was a bit. Household utensils, uninteresting papers, metal and paper money were still found... Finally, a large suburgan was discovered, located not far from the fortress on the bank of a dry riverbed. Rare luck! A whole library was found - about two thousand books, scrolls, manuscripts, more than 300 examples of Tangut painting, colorful, made on thick canvas and thin silk fabric; metal and wooden figurines, cliches, models of suburgans, made with amazing care. And everything was in excellent preservation." And on the pedestal of the suburgan, facing its middle, there stood about two dozen large - human-sized - clay statues, in front of which, as if in front of lamas conducting worship, huge books lay. They were written in the Si language -Xia, but among them are books in Chinese, Tibetan, Manchu, Mongolian, Turkish, Arabic, there were also those whose language neither Kozlov nor any of his people could identify. Only a few years later it was possible to find out that this is the Tangut language.
The Si-Xia language - the language of a bygone people - would probably have remained an unsolved mystery for science if not for the Si-Xia dictionary, found here.
In the spring of 1909, Kozlov arrived in Lanzhou, and from there he returned to Kyakhta along the same route, completing his outstanding archaeological journey in mid-1909.
After this expedition, Kozlov, promoted to colonel, worked for two years on materials about Khara-Khoto and finds. The result was the work “Mongolia and Amdo and the Dead City of Khara-Khoto,” published in 1923. He gave many reports, lectures, wrote articles in newspapers and scientific journals. The discovery of the dead city made him a celebrity. The English and Italian Geographical Societies awarded the traveler large gold royal medals, and a little later the French Academy awarded one of its honorary prizes. In Russia he received all the highest geographical awards and was elected an honorary member of the Geographical Society. But Kozlov admitted: “More than ever before in my life, I especially want to quickly rush into the Asian expanses again, visit Khara-Khoto again and then visit further, in the heart of Tibet - Lhasa, which my unforgettable teacher Nikolai Mikhailovich passionately dreamed of... "
When Russia entered the First World War, Colonel Kozlov asked to be sent to the active army. He was refused and sent to Irkutsk as the head of an expedition to urgently procure livestock for the active army.
In 1922, the Soviet government decided to launch an expedition to Central Asia. Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov was appointed head of the expedition.
He is sixty years old, but he is still full of strength and energy. Together with him, Pyotr Kuzmich’s wife, Elizaveta Vladimirovna, an ornithologist and his student, set off on the journey.
They spent a long time exploring the upper basin of the Selenga River and in the southern Mongolian semi-desert, in the Noin-Ula mountains, they found more than two hundred mounds and excavated them. Many remarkable finds dating back to ancient times Chinese culture, items made of gold, bronze, iron, wooden lacquered items - luxury items, flags, carpets, vessels, incense burners, a wooden device for making fire, paper banknotes of the Yuan Dynasty with the formidable inscription “Counterfeiters will have their heads cut off” were found in these burial grounds. And on the top of Ikhe-Bodo in the Mongolian Altai, at an altitude of about three thousand meters, the expedition discovered an ancient khan’s mausoleum. But the most amazing discovery was made in the mountains of Eastern Khangai, where the tomb of thirteen generations of Genghis Khan’s descendants was found.
The Dalai Lama gave Kozlov a pass to Lhasa - half a silk card with teeth on the edge. The second half of the “saw” was located at the mountain guard on the outskirts of the capital of Tibet. However, the British, who took all measures to prevent the Russians from entering Lhasa, disrupted this trip.
At seventy-one years old, Pyotr Kuzmich still dreams of traveling, plans a trip to the Issyk-Kul basin to once again bow to the grave of his dear teacher, climb to the snows of Khan Tengri, see the peaks of the Heavenly Mountains covered with blue ice... He lives then in Leningrad, then in Kiev, but mostly in the village of Strechno, not far from Novgorod. Despite his advanced age, he often traveled around the country, giving lectures about his travels.
Pyotr Kuzmich died in 1935.
In a remote corner of the Smolensk region - the city of Sloboda - the famous traveler Przhevalsky met Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov, who was then serving in the office of a merchant.
Przhevalsky liked the inquisitive young man. This chance meeting changed the life of the young clerk. Kozlov settled in Przhevalsky’s estate and, under his leadership, began to prepare for exams for a real school course.
A few months later the exams were passed. But Przhevalsky enrolled only military personnel in the expedition. And Pyotr Kuzmich had to enlist in military service. He served in the regiment for only three months, and then was enlisted in Przhevalsky’s expedition.
This was the fourth expedition of the famous traveler to Central Asia.
On a warm, clear day in the fall of 1883, the expedition caravan left the city of Kyakhta. At the very first stop, the young expedition member Pyotr Kuzmich wrote in his diary:
“I bless you, the first day of my happiness, cloudless and bright, the only drawback of which was that it flew by so quickly.”
The young man knew that cold awaited them ahead Mongolian steppes, sandy winds of the Gobi and snow storms on the mountain passes of Tibet, but this did not darken his joyful mood. The expedition passed through the steppe, desert and mountain passes.
The caravan descended into the river valley. Tetung, a tributary of the Yellow River - the great Yellow River.
“...The handsome Tetung, sometimes menacing and majestic, sometimes quiet and even, kept Przhevalsky and me on his shore for hours and plunged my teacher into the best mood, into the most heartfelt stories about the journey,” wrote Kozlov.
In the upper reaches of the Yellow River, the expedition was attacked by robbers from the wandering Tangut tribe. At dawn, a horse gang of up to 300 people, armed with firearms, suddenly attacked the travelers’ camp. This is where the military routine on the expedition came in handy. Literally a minute later the camp turned into a small fortress. Travelers with rifles in their hands took cover behind the boxes. And the shooters soon repelled the attack of the robbers.
Pyotr Kuzmich learned a lot on his first trip. He conducted visual surveys, determined heights, and was Przhevalsky’s first assistant in collecting zoological and botanical collections. Przhevalsky sometimes gave the young man difficult assignments and at the same time always demanded quick and precise execution.
Returning from the expedition to St. Petersburg, Kozlov, on the advice of his friend and teacher, entered a military school. After graduation, Pyotr Kuzmich, already with the rank of second lieutenant, was again enlisted in Przhevalsky’s new expedition.
While preparing for a campaign in the city of Karakol (which is now called Przhevalsk), Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky fell ill with typhus and died on November 1, 1888.
Kozlov took this loss seriously.
“Tears, bitter tears choked each of us. It seemed to me that such grief could not be experienced... and even now it has not yet been experienced,” wrote Pyotr Kuzmich many years later.
The expedition planned by Przhevalsky was headed by M.V. Pevtsov. Kozlov this time made several independent trips. The main ones are on the river. Konchedaryu (left tributary of the Tarim) and lake. Bagrashkul. He obtained interesting specimens for the zoological collection, described the terrain, vegetation, and collected materials about the everyday life of the population. For fruitful work on the expedition, the Geographical Society awarded Pyotr Kuzmich a silver medal named after. Przhevalsky.
In 1893, a Russian expedition set off again into the depths of Central Asia. It was led by Przhevalsky's students - V.I. Roborovsky and P.K. Kozlov.
Officially, Pyotr Kuzmich was listed as Roborovsky’s assistant, but he completed 12 independent routes. The rich zoological collection he collected included three rare specimens of wild camel skins.
The expedition's work plan had not yet been completed when Roborovsky suddenly suffered from paralysis. Pyotr Kuzmich had to take over the leadership of the expedition.
Kozlov led the caravan through mountain passes. More than once along the way he had to fight off bandits and experience all sorts of hardships, but Kozlov successfully completed the expedition without interrupting his research.
In the spring of 1899, Pyotr Kuzmich set off on a new journey to the Gobi Altai and Eastern Tibet. This was his first independent expedition.
Through the mountain ranges of the Mongolian Altai, the expedition descended into the Gobi Desert. For forty-five days the caravan walked along the endless sandy sea. But the most important part of the work was the study of Eastern Tibet - the country of Kam. In the summer of 1900, the expedition caravan, replacing camels with yaks, more adapted to moving through the mountains, reached the Kam country.
Pyotr Kuzmich carefully explored the upper reaches greatest river Indochina - Mekong.
In the high mountainous country Kam Kozlov was struck by the extraordinary richness of vegetation and diversity of animal life. The travelers met new birds unknown to science.
From these places Kozlov intended to head to the capital of Tibet, Lhasa, but the head of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, categorically opposed this. The expedition had to change its route.
Between the basins of the Mekong and Yangtze rivers, travelers discovered a watershed mountain range, which they named after the Russian Geographical Society.
During their journey, the expedition collected valuable material. The geological collection contained 1,200 rock samples, and the botanical collection contained 25 thousand plant specimens. The zoological collection was also rich, containing eight birds unknown to science.
In 1907, Kozlov again led an expedition to the Gobi Desert. The traveler went in search of the ruins of the ancient city of Khara-Khoto, the stories about which were reminiscent of legends.
An expedition caravan set out along a familiar route from Kyakhta to Urga (Ulaanbaatar) in the December days. One local prince, who became friends with Kozlov, provided his guide.
For a long time the riders rode through completely deserted places. Only occasionally were tamarisk and saxaul bushes found on the hills. But then one day pointed turrets appeared on the horizon. They stood in twos or threes on the ancient caravan road. These were suburgans - ancient Mongolian tombstones.
Khara-Khoto was surrounded by city walls over 10 m high. In some places, sand almost completely covered them. It was possible to freely ride a horse to the top of the wall and go down into the city. Inside it there were only sandy hills, which from a distance looked like rows of yellow caps. Under each such hat there was a structure hidden.
Kozlov put Khara-Khoto on the map. The city lay at 41° 45′ N. w. and 101° 05′ E. d. In ancient times he was major center Tangut state of Xi-xia, which existed in the 11th-12th and early 13th centuries.
During excavations, travelers found money, carpets, fabrics, paintings, metal and pottery, and gold jewelry made with great skill.
The excavation was painfully difficult: there was no water nearby, and it had to be carried on donkeys from the nearest Mongol camps, located tens of kilometers from the excavation site. A strong wind carried clouds of dust and sand, making breathing difficult. The hot stones of ancient buildings during excavations burned our hands. More than once despair gripped Kozlov’s companions. But he had a special ability - to encourage everyone and get everyone excited about work.
The most remarkable discovery discovered at Khara Khoto was a library of 2,000 books, scrolls and manuscripts that had lain in the sand for seven centuries. There, the Yages found up to three hundred picturesque images on paper, canvas and silk.
All shades of colors have been wonderfully preserved in the paintings. A dictionary was discovered among the books Xi-xia language, which helped to read books and parchment scrolls.
Thanks to these discoveries, scientists became aware of the true history of the Xi-xia state.
Items found during excavations of the dead city of Khara-Khotr are of the greatest value. They are stored in special department Museum of the Academy of Sciences in Leningrad.
Excavations of Khara-Khoto brought Kozlov world fame. The Russian Geographical Society elected him as an honorary member.
Kozlov dreamed of a new expedition, but in 1914 the world war began imperialist war, and the trip had to be postponed.
In 1923, the Soviet government instructed Kozlov to organize the Mongol-Tibetan expedition. Pyotr Kuzmich was already 60 years old, but with youthful ardor and great energy began to prepare for his journey.
None of Kozlov’s campaigns were as well equipped as this, his first expedition under Soviet rule. Many specialists took part in it.
Kozlov finally managed to get a pass from the Dalai Lama - a “saw” - half a silk card with teeth on the edge. The second half of the “saw” was located at the mountain guard on the outskirts of the capital of Tibet. But Kozlov’s dream of visiting Lhasa did not come true. The British, who were trying to seize Tibet into their own hands, took all measures to prevent the Russians from entering Lhasa.
Kozlov had to change the route. For three years, the expedition studied the nature and history of Mongolia.
In the cities of Northern Mongolia, travelers unearthed ancient mounds in which military leaders were buried Eastern Huns. Things found during excavations told about the culture of people who lived 2000 years ago.
During this expedition, Pyotr Kuzmich visited “his brainchild,” as he called Khara-Khoto, to continue excavations there.
The Mongolian expedition yielded a lot of valuable information for science. In the collection of insects she collected alone, there were up to 30 thousand specimens. On the river Ulan, a previously unknown waterfall was discovered.
The great merit of this expedition is the strengthening of cultural and scientific connections with the Mongolian People's Republic.
Returning from his trip, Kozlov lived most time in the village of Strechno, near the town of Staraya Russa. Despite his advanced years, he often traveled to different cities, making reports on his travels. Kozlov was seventy-one years old, but he did not give up the thought of traveling to the Tien Shan.
In 1935 Kozlov died. An unfinished letter remained on the table in his office, in which Pyotr Kuzmich promised the editor of a magazine “to write something in connection, of course, with travel.”
The traveler made a great contribution to science with his work. His most remarkable discovery was the dead city of Khara-Khoto in the Gobi Desert.
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For me no better than life than when traveling.
P. K. Kozlov
IN The outstanding traveler Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov (1863–1935) belongs to a brilliant galaxy of travelers and explorers of Central Asia in the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries. A student and follower of N. M. Przhevalsky, he devoted his entire life to the scientific development of vast territories of the Asian continent, little studied or completely unknown geographical science that time.
P.K. Kozlov was born into a poor, illiterate family in the city of Dukhovshchina in the Smolensk region. After graduating from the city six-grade school, he was going to enter the Vilna Teachers' Institute, but the teachers (among whom was the future famous educational figure V.P. Vakhterov) were unable to get him a government scholarship. Pyotr Kozlov had to get a job in the office of a local distillery in the village of Sloboda (now the city of Przhevalsk, Smolensk region). A chance meeting with N. M. Przhevalsky in 1882 in Sloboda, where the famous traveler’s estate was located, radically changed the life of the village youth.
N. M. Przhevalsky saw a kindred spirit in young Pyotr Kozlov and offered to participate in his IV Central Asian (II Tibetan) expedition. To do this, Kozlov had to pass the exam for the course of the Smolensk Real School and enroll as a volunteer in the army, since N. M. Przhevalsky recruited his expeditions exclusively from military personnel. “Przhevalsky was my great father: he raised, taught and supervised general and private preparations for the trip,” Kozlov later recalled. Under the direct leadership of N. M. Przhevalsky, the young man acquired the necessary long journeys knowledge and practical skills, in particular learned the art of preparation. Later, working alongside N. M. Przhevalsky, P. K. Kozlov developed as a professional traveler-researcher, mastered his extensive-descriptive method of “route reconnaissance” and successfully used it in his research activities.
“From this two-year trip, my first, I returned a different person - Central Asia became the goal of life for me,” Kozlov wrote in a short biographical sketch. “This conviction has not been shaken; on the contrary, it has become even stronger after difficult moral suffering related to unexpected death my unforgettable teacher […]". The bright image of N.M. Przhevalsky - Psheva - inspired Kozlov all his life.
Another teacher and patron of Kozlov long years there was a famous geographer-traveler, vice-chairman of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society P. P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, who greatly contributed to his expeditionary activities after the death of N. M. Przhevalsky.
From 1883 to 1926 P.K. Kozlov committed six large expeditions to Mongolia, Western and Northern China and Eastern Tibet, three of which he personally headed. His talent as a traveler-naturalist was especially evident during the first independent Mongol-Kama expedition of 1899–1901. Its scientific results exceeded all expectations - Kozlov brought to St. Petersburg a huge and unusually diverse natural history collection, interesting ethnographic information about the nomadic tribes of Tibet, and valuable data on the zoogeography of completely unexplored regions of Central Asia. As a result of this expedition, which covered more than 10,000 km with surveys, the largest ridges in Eastern and Central Tibet were mapped (the ridge of the Russian Geographical Society, the Watershed ridge (of the Huang He and Yangtze basins), the Rockhill ridge, etc.). Kozlov's research received highly appreciated world scientific community. IRGO, which equipped the expedition, awarded the traveler for outstanding contribution in the study of Central Asia with its highest award - the Constantine Gold Medal.
Kozlov’s next expedition, the Mongol-Sichuan expedition (1907–1909), made him famous for his unique archaeological finds, made during excavations of the “dead” city of Khara-Khoto on the river. Edzin-gol, in the sands of the southern Gobi. In one of the religious buildings - the reliquary suburgan, called “famous”, P.K. Kozlov was lucky enough to find a rich collection containing thousands of books and manuscripts in the Tangut, Chinese, Tibetan and Uyghur languages, hundreds of sculptures and icons, shrines from Buddhist temples etc. Materials from the “famous” suburgan allowed scientists to reconstruct the history of the forgotten Tangut state of Xi-Xia, which existed for about 250 years (982-1227) on the territory of modern northern China.
The discovery and sensational excavations of Khara-Khoto received great resonance in scientific world what brought Kozlov highest awards Italian and London Geographical Societies, prize named after. P. A. Chikhacheva French Academy Sciences, and the Imperial Russian Geographical Society and the Hungarian Geographical Society elected him an honorary member, respectively, in 1910 and 1911.
Another important event in Kozlov’s life during this period was his acquaintance with the spiritual and temporal ruler of Tibet, the 13th Dalai Lama. Their first meeting took place in 1905 in the capital of Outer Mongolia, Urga, where the Dalai Lama was forced to flee due to the British invasion of Tibet. Captain Kozlov greeted the Tibetan high priest and presented him with gifts on behalf of the Russian Geographical Society for the hospitality provided to the Mongol-Kama expedition in 1899–1901, and also, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the General Staff, discussed the possibility of Russia providing assistance to Tibet. Kozlov’s meeting with the Dalai Lama, which took place at such a dramatic moment for Tibet, marked the beginning of their warm friendly relations that lasted for many years.
In 1909, the traveler paid a new visit to the ruler of Tibet - this time at the Buddhist monastery of Gumbum (in the province of Amdo, in Eastern Tibet). Establishing close relations with the Dalai Lama and his entourage was not only of great political importance, from the point of view of strengthening Russian-Tibetan ties, but was also very useful in on a personal level, because it opened the doors to Lhasa, forbidden to Europeans, for the inquisitive researcher.
Kozlov tried to take advantage of this circumstance in 1914, starting preparations for a new great trip. The expedition was designed as a Mongol-Tibetan expedition. Its goal was to further explore the ruins of Khara-Khoto and study the Tibetan Plateau, mainly the basins of the upper reaches of the three great rivers of Asia: the Yangtze, Mekong and Saluen. At the same time, Kozlov secretly hoped that he would finally be able to fulfill his and his teacher’s cherished dream - to visit Lhasa. But his plans were unexpectedly interfered with World War. As a result, Colonel of the General Staff P.K. Kozlov went to Southwestern Front, where for some time he served as commandant of the cities of Tarnov and Iasi. And then in 1915 he was sent to Mongolia at the head of a special government expedition (“Mongoleks”), which was engaged in the purchase of livestock for the needs of the active army.
Kozlov perceived the October Revolution ambiguously, but did not refuse cooperation with the Bolsheviks. Not last role his demand played a role in this new government. Already in November 1917, the Russian Academy of Sciences appointed Kozlov as commissioner to the famous Crimean acclimatization zoo-reserve Askania-Nova. This appointment was not accidental: well acquainted with the zoo itself and its founder F. E. Falz-Fein, Kozlov, even before the war, energetically advocated the speedy nationalization of this unique corner of nature. And in the new political conditions, he continued the struggle to preserve the zoo from looting and destruction, the result of which was the decree of the government of Soviet Ukraine on the “saving” of Askania-Nova in April 1919.
- (18631935), researcher of Central Asia, Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR (1928). He graduated from the Infantry Junker School in St. Petersburg (1887). Participated in the expeditions of N. M. Przhevalsky. He also led a number of expeditions (18991901) to the regions of Mongolia and... ... Encyclopedic reference book"Saint Petersburg"
- (1863 1935), researcher of Central Asia, Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR (1928). He graduated from the Infantry Junker School in St. Petersburg (1887). Participated in the expeditions of N. M. Przhevalsky. He also led a number of expeditions (1899 1901) to the regions of Mongolia and... ... St. Petersburg (encyclopedia)
Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov Pyotr Kozlov in his office. photograph of Karl Bulla (1908) Date of birth: November 3, 1863 Place of birth: Dukhovshchina, Smolensk province Date of death: October 26, 1935 Me... Wikipedia
- (1863 1935), researcher of Central Asia, academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR (1928). Member of the expeditions of N. M. Przhevalsky, M. V. Pevtsov, V. I. Roborovsky. He led the Mongol-Tibetan (1899-1901 and 1923-26) and Mongol-Sichuan (1907-09) expeditions.… … encyclopedic Dictionary
Kozlov: Contents 1 Settlements 1.1 Russia 1.2 Ukraine ... Wikipedia
Kozlov is one of the most common Russian surnames. Derived from the ancient non-Christian name Goat. It has been clarified how this surname arose among the boyars when the expanding ancient clans were fragmented: in the first half of the 15th century. Gregory Kozel, son of a boyar ... Wikipedia
Kozlov is one of the most common Russian surnames. Derived from the ancient non-Christian name Goat. It has been clarified how this surname arose among the boyars when the expanding ancient clans were fragmented: in the first half of the 15th century. Gregory Kozel, son of a boyar ... Wikipedia
Kozlov is one of the most common Russian surnames. Derived from the ancient non-Christian name Goat. It has been clarified how this surname arose among the boyars when the expanding ancient clans were fragmented: in the first half of the 15th century. Gregory Kozel, son of a boyar ... Wikipedia
1. KOZLOV Alexey Semenovich (born 1935), saxophonist, composer, Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1988). Since 1973, organizer and leader of the jazz-rock ensemble Arsenal. Author of jazz compositions, works in the field of electronic and computer music. Author... ...Russian history
Books
- Tibet and the Dalai Lama. The Dead City of Khara-Khoto, Kozlov Petr Kuzmich. New volume series "Great Travelers" is dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding Russian traveler and explorer Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov (1863-1935). The basis of the anniversary…
- Diaries of the Mongol-Sichuan Expedition, 1907-1909, Kozlov Petr Kuzmich. Diaries of the Mongol-Sichuan expedition of 1907-1909. under the leadership of the famous Russian explorer of Central Asia P.K. Kozlov contain valuable information on geography, ethnography,…