Research in Central Asia until the beginning of the 19th century did not have any system and was carried out by individual missionaries. In the 19th century, the role of scientific societies and institutions in research on the Asian continent sharply increased. In 1829, the outstanding German geographer Alexander von Humboldt, at the invitation of the Russian government, visited the Urals, Altai, southwestern Siberia, and the Caspian Sea. From his pen comes the three-volume book “Central Asia” and the two-volume book “Fragments on the Geology and Climatology of Asia.”
In 1845, the Russian Geographical Society was created and immediately became involved in the study of Siberia and Far East. The close interest of government and scientific circles in Central Asia was due to the fact that, starting from the mid-19th century, tensions in Russia’s relations with England and France were growing. After the Crimean War of 1853-1856, trade relations with leading European powers deteriorated sharply. Russia was forced to look for new markets, primarily in the East (as we see, history repeats itself). Due to the geopolitical situation Russian government pays attention to its southern and eastern borders. There is a need to obtain reliable information about the natural resources of these territories, the population, and the economy. It was necessary to study the area, apply reliable information on maps, establish borders with neighbors, find out potential opportunities for expansion in this region. All this could contribute to both the economic and geopolitical goals of the Russian Empire in strengthening its prestige both in the region and on the world stage as a whole.
In 1853, the Russian scientist Pyotr Semenov studied in Berlin University geography and geology. Here he was engaged in the translation of the huge work “Geography” (in particular “Geography of Asia”) by the most authoritative European geographer Karl Ritter, whose lectures Semyonov listened to in Berlin. Semyonov also consulted with Humboldt. Trained in the Alps. Mental work and physical training in Europe served as preparation for the scientist for a grandiose expedition to Central Asia, in the Tien Shan. The territory of Central Asia in the mid-19th century was a huge blank spot on the map, and the Tien Shan mountain system (translated from Chinese as “ heavenly mountains") was known mainly from Chinese sources. The Russian state by this time had advanced its borders to Aral Sea and Lake Issyk-Kul, the gradual annexation of the Northern Tien Shan began. In 1854, the Russian settlement of Zailiyskoye was founded here (later names of the settlement were Verny and Alma-Ata). It was this that served as the starting point for Semenov’s expeditions in 1856-1857. But before this point, the traveler, having left St. Petersburg, managed to visit the Urals and Altai, Lake Balkhash and the Dzungarian Alatau. Two trips to Lake Issyk-Kul were very fruitful from a scientific point of view: the ridges of the Trans-Ili Alatau, Terskey-Alatau, Kungei-Alatau, the valleys of the Chilik, Chu, Tyup and other rivers were studied. After wintering in Altai, Semenov continued his research in the Northern Tien Shan, being the first European to visit many corners of this mysterious region and climb the slopes of the Khan Tengri massif.
The results of the expedition led by Semenov were more than impressive: in two years it was possible to draw up and establish the features of the orographic diagram of the entire Northern Tien Shan, study the ridges of this mountain system over a considerable extent, trace the altitudinal zones and determine the position of the snow line of the ridges. The scientist was able to refute the opinion of the luminary geographical science that time Humboldt about the volcanic origin of the Northern Tien Shan.
Upon returning to the capital, Semenov had to deal with important administrative issues of the state, in particular, together with other members of the Russian Geographical Society he was involved in the compilation of the five-volume Geographical-Statistical Dictionary Russian Empire" - the main reference book on the geography, demography and economy of Russia in the mid-19th century.
And in 1873, Pyotr Petrovich was elected vice-president of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society. Fyodor Petrovich Litke, a famous sailor and scientist, recommended him for this post. Semyonov remained in this post from 1873 to 1914 (until his death); in 1906, on the 50th anniversary of the expedition to the Tien Shan, by royal decree the prefix Tien-Shansky was added to the surname of Semyonov in memory of the great merits of the scientist.
Semyonov-Tien-Shansky, due to his busy schedule in the capital, was no longer able to participate in large-scale geographical expeditions, however, thanks to him, expeditions of outstanding scientists N.M. were organized. Przhevalsky, Potanin, Kozlov, Roborovsky and others.
An outstanding Russian traveler was Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky, a military man (future major general) and geographer. The meeting with Semyonov-Tien-Shansky in 1867 in St. Petersburg influenced his further research destiny. It was Pyotr Petrovich who contributed to the organization of Przhevalsky’s expedition to the Ussuri region in 1867-1869, the purpose of which was to explore the routes to the borders of Manchuria and Korea, and to study the local indigenous peoples. Przhevalsky mapped during the expedition Russian shores Lake Khanka, as well as the territories along the Amur and Ussuri rivers, brought information about the nature and peoples of the region.
Semyonov was also the inspirer of Przhevalsky’s four expeditions to Central Asia in 1870 to 1888. The expeditions came at a turbulent time in military and political terms for these places. The territory served as a place " great game"between Russia and England.
In his first expedition to Central Asia in 1870-73, exploring Mongolia, China and Tibet, Przhevalsky found out that the Gobi was not a rise, but a depression with hilly terrain. Nanshan is not a ridge, but a mountain system. He discovered the Beishan Highlands, the Tsaidam Basin, three ridges in Kunlun and seven large lakes. The results of the expedition brought him world fame; Przhevalsky was awarded the highest award of the Geographical Society - the Great Konstantinovsky Medal.
During the second Central Asian expedition of 1876-77, Przhevalsky discovered the Altyntag Mountains; the first description of the “nomadic” Lake Lop Nor (now dried up) and the Tarim and Konchedarya rivers feeding it is given; the border of the Tibetan Plateau has been “moved” more than 300 km to the north.
In the third Central Asian expedition of 1879-80, which Przhevalsky himself called the First Tibetan Expedition, he identified a number of ridges in Nanshan, Kunlun and the Tibetan Plateau (including Tangla and Bokalyktag), photographed Lake Kukunor, the upper reaches of the Yellow River and the Yangtze.
Despite his illness, Przhevalsky set off on the fourth (Second Tibetan) expedition of 1883-85, during which he discovered a number of new lakes and ridges in Kunlun, having traveled 1800 km, delineated the Tsaidam Basin, almost 60 years before the discovery of Victory Peak (7439 m) indicated to his existence.
In 1888 great traveler, setting off on his fifth journey, having passed through total 31,500 km, who made many outstanding scientific discoveries, collecting the richest botanical, zoological and mineralogical collections in his campaigns, died suddenly in the city of Karakol near Issyk-Kul official version, from typhoid fever. According to his will, on the scientist’s grave there is an inscription: “Traveller N.M. Przhevalsky."
The research of an outstanding scientist, honorary doctor of several universities, who received the highest awards of a number of geographical societies, was continued at the turn of the two centuries of the 19th and 20th by other Russian travelers, including the geographer Grigory Efimovich Grumm-Grzhimailo, the ethnographer Gombozhab Tsebekovich Tsybikov, Mikhail Vasilyevich Pevtsov , and students and participants of Przhevalsky’s expeditions: Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov and Vsevolod Ivanovich Roborovsky.
After the sudden death of Przhevalsky, which delayed the start of the Tibetan expedition, Mikhail Vasilyevich Pevtsov was appointed its head. He already had experience of major travels - to Eastern Dzungaria in 1876 and to the Gobi Desert in 1878-1879. The expedition, which began during Przhevalsky’s lifetime, ended in 1891 and turned out to be very fruitful: Kunlun was explored, the plateau of Northwestern Tibet was discovered, and detailed orographic and hydrographic descriptions of the west of Central Asia were given. After this trip, Pevtsov was awarded the Konstantinovsky medal of the Geographical Society. Roborovsky and Kozlov took part in the expedition; they were also awarded high awards from the society.
Around the same time, together with Przhevalsky’s expeditions, expeditions of another outstanding scientist Grigory Nikolaevich Potanin were organized. A former anarchist, thanks to his acquaintance with P.P. Semenov, who convinced him to devote his life to science, after being pardoned at the request of the Geographical Society, upon his arrival in St. Petersburg, under the leadership of Semenov, he prepared additions to “Asia,” the work of Karl Ritter. At the same time, he was preparing an expedition to Northern Mongolia. In 1876-1877, the traveler visited the Mongolian Altai, the Gobi Desert, and the Eastern Tien Shan. Next came the second Mongol expedition.
In 1884, Potanin visited Tibet, reaching by sea from Odessa to China. The expedition explored the cities and monasteries of Sichuan province, crossed Nanshan and the Mongolian Altai.
In Potanin’s fourth expedition in 1892-1894, at the suggestion of the Russian Geographical Society, geologist Vladimir Afanasyevich Obruchev, who worked a lot in Central Asia, was engaged in exploration of coal and gold deposits in Siberia, and whose merits were noted by society.
During the expedition, Potanin and Obruchev had independent routes: Potanin, together with his wife (an ethnographer and artist), went to the province of Sichuan, which he had explored in a previous expedition, and Obruchev had to study the geology of the regions of Northern China and the adjacent inaccessible ridges and deserts.
In two years, Obruchev walked almost 14 thousand km. Throughout the entire route, the traveler kept a diary, and was engaged in photography and daily mapping of the area. Almost half of the territory was unknown to European man. For a long time, Obruchev’s diaries were the only documentary sources for a number of regions of Northwestern China and Mongolia. An important discovery was the establishment of the geological origin of Central Asia. Obruchev proved the continental origin of this territory, disproving the theory of Richthofen, a German geographer who adhered to the theory marine origin region.
Upon his return, Obruchev was awarded the Konstantinovsky gold medal of the Russian Geographical Society. The scientist’s excellent style later brought him wide fame as a writer: he wrote several works that were included in the golden fund of Russian science fiction.
In 1893, an expedition was organized to the Eastern Tien Shan, Nanshan, Northern Tibet and Sichuan. It was attended by Roborovsky (the head of the expedition) and Kozlov, who had to split up due to multitasking and the small number of the expedition. In February 1894, scientists met and began studying Nanshan, which had previously been primarily explored by Obruchev. Repeatedly crossing this mountainous region, they established the boundaries of ridges and intermountain valleys, and refined the maps of Nanshan. For 2.5 years, travelers covered about 17 thousand km, mapped about 250 thousand sq. km of territory, and collected rich scientific collections.
Due to illness, Roborovsky was no longer able to participate in expeditions, and Kozlov conducted further research on his own. In 1899, under his leadership, the Mongol-Tibetan expedition took place, from which rich materials of a natural scientific and ethnographic nature were also brought. The two subsequent expeditions (1907 and 1909) were mainly archaeological in orientation. In 1907, during the Sichuan-Mongolian expedition, Kozlov discovered the “black city” of Khara-Khoto, finds from which are now kept in the Hermitage.
For their services, both Roborovsky and Kozlov were awarded the Konstantinovsky gold medal of the Russian Geographical Society.
The names of outstanding scientists, real travelers who dedicated themselves to serving science and the Fatherland are recorded on geographical maps.
In honor of P.P. Semenov-Tian-Shansky named series geographical objects in Central and Central Asia, the Caucasus, Alaska and Spitsbergen and about 100 new forms of plants and animals.
In honor of N.M. Przhevalsky named: a city, a ridge in Kunlun, a glacier in Altai, several species of animals and plants.
Name V.A. Hoops are worn by: mountain, mountain range in Siberia, the most large glacier in the Chersky Range on Pobeda Peak, an oasis in Antarctica.
Name G.N. Potanin is immortalized in the mountainous regions of Nanshan and Altai.
Objectives: Learn about Central Asian researchers. Draw a conclusion.
P.P. Semenov-Tian-Shansky explored the Tien Shan in 1856-1857. Initiator of a number of expeditions to Central Asia. In 1859-60 he participated as an expert member in the work of the Editorial Commission for the preparation peasant reform 1861. Organizer of the first Russian population census in 1897.
Having published in 1856 the first volume of the translation of Karl Ritter's "Geography of Asia", with additions equal in volume to the original itself, Semyonov undertook, on behalf of the Geographical Society, an expedition to explore the Tien Shan mountain system, which was then an area inaccessible to Europeans.
For two years, Semenov visited Altai, Tarbagatai, Semirechensky and Zailiysky Alatau, lake. Issyk-Kul was the first of the European travelers to penetrate the Tien Shan and the first to visit the highest mountain group - Khan Tengri. And in 1906 for services to the discovery and first research mountainous country Tien-Shan, the prefix was added to his surname - Tien-Shansky.
N.M. Przhevalsky was born on March 31 (April 12), 1839 in the village of Kibory, Smolensk province, in the family of a retired lieutenant. After completing the course at the Smolensk gymnasium, Przhevalsky was assigned to Moscow as a non-commissioned officer in the Ryazan infantry regiment; having received officer rank, transferred to the Polotsk Regiment, then entered the Academy of the General Staff.
In 1867, Przhevalsky received a business trip to the Ussuri region. Along the Ussuri he reached the village of Busse, then to Lake Khanka, which served as a station during bird migration and provided him with material for ornithological observations. In winter, he explored the South Ussuri region, covering 1060 versts in three months.
In the spring of 1868, he again went to Lake Khanka, then pacified Chinese robbers in Manchuria, for which he was appointed senior adjutant of the headquarters of the troops of the Amur region. The results of his first trip were the essays “On the Foreign Population in the Southern Part of the Amur Region” and “Travel to the Ussuri Region.”
V.A. Obruchev Researcher of the geology of Siberia, Central and Central Asia, discovered several ridges in the Nanshan Mountains, the Daursky and Borshchovochny ridges, explored the Beishan Highlands. In 1892-1894, Obruchev participated as a geologist in the fourth expedition of Grigory Potanin. In the 1890s, Obruchev was involved in the design of the Trans-Caspian and Trans-Siberian railways. The first full-time geologist of Siberia.
PC. Kozlov Kozlov Petr Kuzmich is a famous traveler. Born in 1863. In 1883 he joined the fourth expedition of N.M. Przhevalsky, after which he finished his military education in St. Petersburg and left again with Przhevalsky in 1888.
His last expedition to Mongolia and Tibet 1923-1926. turned out to be unsuccessful. Because of political intrigues he never managed to leave Urga. Forced to focus on studying Mongolia, P. Kozlov decides to excavate the mounds of the Xiongnu aristocracy (late 1st century BC - early 1st century AD) in the Noin-Ula mountains (Noin-Ula mounds). The opening of the burial grounds resulted in new scientific discoveries of global significance.
Conclusion: From this presentation we learned about Central Asian researchers who made a tremendous contribution to the study of Eurasia.
Resources: http://ru.wikipedia.org
The largest traveler to the Central Asian region was Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky(1839-1888). Having traveled to the Ussuri region and reported about it to the Geographical Society, Nikolai Mikhailovich immediately became respected and authoritative. P.P. Semenov and the Council of the Society fulfilled their promise of assistance after the “test” of the Ussuri region, and in 1870 a new - Mongolian, or the first Central Asian - journey of Przhevalsky began. It lasted about three years. From Kyakhta the detachment passed through the Gobi Desert, through the Ordos Plateau, through the Alashan Desert, through Tsaidam to Tibet, to the upper reaches of the Yellow River. The path through the desert was difficult. The four travelers crossed the bare shifting sands, ready to “suffocate the traveler with their scorching heat.” It became easier to breathe in the mountains... But winter came, and it was necessary to go down to the plain. In 1872, Przhevalsky climbed to the drainless salty high-mountain lake Kukunor. “The cherished goal of the expedition... has been achieved. True, success was bought at the price of... difficult trials.” In the two-volume book “Mongolia and the Country of the Tanguts” (1875-1876), Przhevalsky paid tribute to the courage of his team members: “At a terrible distance from our homeland... we lived as siblings, together we shared labors and dangers, sorrows and joys. Until my grave, I will retain a grateful memory of my companions, who, with their boundless courage and dedication to the task, determined the entire success of the expedition.” And indeed, in Tibet, between the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, there were severe frosts, and the thinness of the air was felt, making it difficult to breathe.
The first expedition brought undoubted success: a route survey of more than 5 thousand km of route was completed, lakes Dalainor and Kukunar were mapped, a number of unknown mountain ranges were discovered, numerous collections of birds, mammals, fish, insects, plants and rocks, measured big number altitude marks, the astronomical position of a number of points was taken, daily (in three periods) meteorological observations were carried out. Przhevalsky was the first European explorer in Western Tibet on the watershed of two great rivers. The Russian and Prague Geographical Societies awarded Przhevalsky gold medals.
In 1876, Przhevalsky presented a plan and began implementing a second expedition to Central Asia. And although he himself considered it unfinished (he was unable to delve deeper into Tibet), it also brought a number of remarkable discoveries. These include the discovery and description of Lake Lop Nor, the Altyntag mountain system, the Russky ridge, the position of northern border Tibet (the Kunlun ridge turned out to be 300 km further north than expected). Przhevalsky's collection included wild camels, kulans, wild yaks and many other objects. But what difficulties had to be overcome! In addition to cold and heat, Przhevalsky suffered from a skin disease. He wrote in his diary: “November 1st. They spent the day. The itching is unbearable; You can’t sleep at night, you eat weaker every day...
November 15-16. I tried all sorts of remedies for the itching... November 25 - 26. My illness is not getting any better... Now I can’t observe, take pictures, or even walk. Having weighed all these circumstances, I decided to return to the Zaisan post... It was hard for me to come to such a decision... December 5 - 20. We walked day and night from sunrise almost until sunset... The dirt on all of us was terrible, especially for me, since several times a day and night I had to smear myself with tar and lard in order to at least a little relieve the unbearable itching... Cold It was terrible, the mercury in the thermometer froze for five days in a row...”
In Zaisan, Przhevalsky learned of a bereavement. More than six months ago, his mother died, and her brother, the one who taught the young naturalist to camp life and hunting, also died.
As soon as Przhevalsky's health improved, he again headed to Dzungaria with the goal of penetrating Tibet. Relations with China, however, deteriorated, and Przhevalsky was forced to return to his homeland. And again an entry from the diary: “March 31. Today I turned 39 years old, and the day marked the end of the expedition for me... it is extremely difficult and sad for me to turn back. All day yesterday I was not myself and cried many times...” And further: “... the life of a traveler brings with it many different hardships, but it gives many happy minutes that are never forgotten. Absolute freedom and something to do to your liking - that’s precisely the whole attraction of wandering...”
Przhevalsky's scientific feat was highly appreciated. He was elected an honorary member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Botanical Garden. The Berlin Geographical Society awarded him the newly established Alexander Humboldt Gold Medal. On this occasion, F. Richthofen, president of the Berlin Society, stated that the discoveries of Lop Nor and Altyntag - greatest discoveries, and Przhevalsky’s observations are so diverse and versatile that few can do it.
The third trip to Central Asia, or the first Tibetan, took place in 1879-1880. Among its participants was V.I. Roborovsky, a worthy student of Przhevalsky, who in the future himself led an expedition to Central Asia. The expedition left the Zaisan post, crossed Dzungaria, crossed the Hami Desert and penetrated most deeply into Central regions Tibet, despite the opposition of the Chinese authorities, attacks by robbers and the most difficult natural conditions trips. In a letter addressed to the chairman of the society, Przhevalsky wrote: as soon as we climbed the mountains of Northern Tibet, we immediately encountered a terrible climate. Despite the second half of May, snowstorms raged here, like in winter, and night frosts reached -23 °C. Nevertheless, the local skinny grass did not die from such cold weather, and even after severe frost the sun again warmed the meager flowers. But not only in May, even in June and July, frosts (up to -5°) occurred on every clear night... The amount of precipitation brought here... by the southwest monsoon... is so great that Northern Tibet turns into almost in a complete swamp... Despite the treelessness of the country, there are a lot of bears here. Every day we met several of them, sometimes more than a dozen, and killed up to 30 specimens... At dawn on July 13 (the Tanguts) made an unexpected attack on us by a horse gang of about 300 people. This attack, as well as another one that followed it , were repulsed..." (Przhevalsky, 1885. P. 6, 7, 8). Przhevalsky's team consisted of one and a half dozen people!
Przhevalsky's experience became increasingly significant in relation to scientific observations and conclusions. It's about about the asymmetry of the nature of the northern and southern slopes of the ridges, about the formation of sediment cones at the foot of the ridges, the most favorable from the point of view of settlement and economic activity population, about the reasons for the uniqueness of the fauna and flora of individual territories, about the life and way of life of the native population. And there were discoveries of the Humboldt, Ritter and many others ridges, the wild horse described by I.S. Polyakov and named after the discoverer. A path was found to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, and only respect for the opinions of the aborigines forced Przhevalsky to stop moving in this direction. A rumor spread in Lhasa that the Russians were coming to destroy their faith.
Przhevalsky’s literary talent is also maturing. Some sections of the book take on the character of remarkable essays with pathetic elements. What are these lines worth, for example: “Meanwhile, the hunter imperceptibly rose almost to the eternal snows. A marvelous panorama of mountains, illuminated by the rising sun, spreads out under his feet. Both the Yaquis and the Cucuyamans were forgotten for a time. You are completely absorbed in the contemplation of the majestic picture. It is easy, free for the heart at this height, on these steps leading to heaven, face to face with the grandiose nature, far from all the vanity and filth of life. At least for a moment you become a truly spiritual being, you break away from everyday petty thoughts and aspirations...” (Przhevalsky, 1948, p. 114). Or: “More than seven months have passed since we left Zaisan, and during all this time we have not had several joyful days in a row. We were constantly opposed either by the waterless desert with its unbearable heat, or by gigantic mountains, or by frosts and storms, or, finally, by human enmity. We successfully overcame all this. We were not given guides - we walked without them, at random, found our way by traveling, and almost didn’t take an extra step thanks to our amazing happiness. The latter was our constant companion” (Ibid. P. 198). “But if I had the chance lucky share make three successful trips to Central Asia, then the success of these trips - I must loudly admit - was determined by a very high degree courage, energy and selfless devotion to their work of my companions. They were not afraid of the terrible heat and storms of the desert, nor the thousand-mile treks, nor the huge mountains of Tibet stretching beyond the clouds, nor the freezing cold there, nor the hordes of savages ready to slaughter us... Alienated for whole years from their homeland, from everything near and dear, among the many different adversities and dangers that were an indispensable series, my companions sacredly fulfilled their duty, never lost heart and truly behaved like heroes...” (Ibid. P. 364). One of Przhevalsky’s biographers, E.M. Murzaev (1996), quite rightly noted: “There were many travelers before Przhevalsky and even more after him. However, not everyone could talk about their research and adventures as vividly and intelligibly as he could” (p. 211). Przhevalsky's books became a model for compiling travel essays scientific expeditions more than one generation of travelers.
The fourth trip to Central Asia, or the second Tibetan, was carried out by Przhevalsky in 1883-1885. In addition to Roborovsky, 19-year-old P.K. took part in it. Kozlov, who also became a famous traveler. The route was laid from Kyakhta to the upper reaches of the Yellow River, Altyntag and Northern Tibet were crossed, and areas of Eastern Kashgaria were explored. Severe storms and frosts in the Gobi Desert convinced Przhevalsky not only of the aeolian nature of loess, but also made him understand under what wind conditions the removal of dust particles and their accumulation occurs. Lakes Russkoye, Expeditions, Nezamerayashchee, and the Mysterious (Przhevalsky) ridges were discovered and described. highest point Monomakh's Cap (7720 m), Marco Polo, Moscow, Columba... These names, alas, are not preserved on the maps of China.
A rare case: during his lifetime, Przhevalsky was awarded a gold medal named after himself by the Academy of Sciences. On the front side of the medal there was a portrait of Przhevalsky, on the back it read: “To Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky - the first explorer of Central Asia. 1886."
At the very beginning of his fifth trip to Central Asia, Przhevalsky contracted typhoid fever and died on November 1, 1888. He was buried according to his will on the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul in the vicinity of the city of Karakol, for a long time bearing the name of Przhevalsk.
Przhevalsky's services to science are great, and so are his honors. He was awarded the military rank of Major General of the Russian Army, the degree of Doctor of Zoology from Moscow University, and was elected an honorary member Russian Academy, Russian, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Hungarian, Italian, Dutch, Frankfurt, Leipzig, Dresden, Asian Geographical Societies, St. Petersburg University, Botanical Garden, full member of the German Academy of Natural and Medical Sciences, Swedish Anthropological and Geographical Societies, honorary employee of the French Ministry public education, awarded eight Russian and foreign gold medals and other awards.
Przhevalsky left behind a large number of associates, students and followers. One of them was Mikhail Vasilievich Pevtsov(1 843 - 1 902). Also in 1 876, at the head of hundreds of Cossacks, he accompanied the grain Caravan, heading from Zaisan to the Dzungarian oasis of Guchen. About 700 km were covered on rocky dry steppe. A description of the route and a map of the route traveled were published by Pevtsov in 1879 in the work “ Travel Stories Dzungaria".
In 1878-1879 Pevtsov made a long trek across Mongolia and Northern China as part of another trade caravan. Karavaya climbed up the valley of the Bukhtarma River, crossed the Sailyugem ridge and arrived in Mongolian city Kobdo. From there, the caravan route followed between the Mongolian Altai and Khangai ridges. A number of lakes were discovered at the foot of the latter. Pevtsov called the entire area the Valley of Lakes. For the first time, the hydrographic network of this part of Mongolia was mapped. To the north of the Gobi Altai, Pevtsov discovered a ridge parallel to it, called the Gurvan-Saikhan ridge. This clarified the orographic appearance of the entire Mongolian Altai. The caravan crossed the Gobi and reached the Inshan mountain range, which borders the bend of the Yellow River from the north. The return took place through the Gobi and Urga (Ulaanbaatar). In the direction of Kobdo, Pevtsov crossed the valleys of the Selenga River and its tributaries, the Khangai ridge and along the Dzabkhan and Kobdo rivers reached the Russian point of Kosh-Agach on the Chuisky tract,
Pevtsov was entrusted with the implementation of the main part of the program of Przhevalsky’s unfulfilled expedition. His assistants were Roborovsky and Kozlov. K.I. was also invited to the expedition. Bogdanovich. In the summer of 1889, the expedition left the city of Przhevalsk (in the same year Karakol began to be called that), crossed the Terskey and Kokshaal ridges, descended to the Yarkand River valley, and circled the Taklamakan desert from the south. Bogdanovich, on behalf of Pevtsov, took a slightly different route. From Issyk-Kul he went south, crossed the Kashgar ridge and joined the rest of the expedition near the city of Yarkand. Pevtsov continued to direct the small groups of Bogdanovich, Roborovsky and Kozlov on independent routes. Thus, a wider coverage of territories was carried out by research, in particular, in North-Western Tibet and in the Lop Nor Lake basin. The results of the expedition were published in the “Proceedings of the Tibet Expedition of 1889-1890”: the route was described, a large section of the Kunlun ridge was explored and mapped, the high plateau of Northwestern Tibet was discovered, the discovery of a number of ridges crossed by Przhevalsky was completed, new data on the hydrography of the Lop Nor lake basin.
In the summer of 1876, an expedition also set off from Zaisan to Mongolia Grigory Nikolaevich Potanin(1835-1920), a man who spent three years as a student, experienced penal servitude for five years, was subjected to exile, and finally fell in love with the life of a traveler. The expedition included the chief’s wife, Alexandra Viktorovna, and topographer P.A. Rafailov. The expedition crossed the Mongolian Altai, reached Kobdo, walked along the northern slope of the ridge and crossed it again to pass through the Dzungarian Gobi and reach the city of Khami. Along the way, the spurs of the Eastern Tien Shan were crossed. The independence of the Altai and Tien Shan mountain systems has been established. Turning again to the northern direction, Potanin’s expedition once again crossed the Mongolian Altai and reached the foothills of the Khangai ridge, crossed it and reached Lake Khubsugul. Turning west, the travelers walked to Lake Ubsunur, discovering a number of short ridges, the sands of Borig-Del, and mapped part of the Tannu-Ola ridge. From Lake Uvsu-Nur Potanin went through the basin of the Great Lakes to Kobdo, Rafailov took a more difficult route through the spurs of Tannu-Ola and the Mongolian Altai to Russian territory.
In the summer of 1879, Potanin again headed to Mongolia. This time, from Kosh-Agach, the researchers moved to Lake Uvs-Nur, climbed the Tannu-Ola ridge and descended into the Tuva Basin. Having overcome the Sangilen ridge, the expedition reached north shore Lake Khubsugul and from there through the Tunka depression to Irkugsk. Four volumes of “Essays on North-Western Mongolia” (1881 - 1883) are evidence of the research carried out. Two of these volumes contained materials from ethnographic observations collected by A.V. Potanina.
In 1883, Potanin, accompanied by his wife, went around Europe, through the Suez Canal to China. In the summer of 1884, the expedition members left Beijing, crossed the Ordos Plateau and stopped for the winter in Lanzhou on the Yellow River. In 1885 they made a circular route. 1 in Eastern Tibet and began to winter again. In 1886, the expedition went to Lake Kukunor, following along the Zhoshui River, they reached the closed lake Gashun-Nur. Then, through the Gobi, Mongolian Altai, and the Khongai ridge, the expedition entered Russian territory in the area of the city of Kyakhta. The work “Tangut-Tibetan outskirts of China and Central Mongolia” (1893) in two volumes crowned the completion of the expedition.
In 1892-1893 The Potanins went through Beijing on their next expedition to Tibet. On the way, Alexandra Viktorovna’s health condition deteriorated sharply, and heart attacks began. I had to suspend the expedition and return to Beijing. Potanina was carried on a stretcher... On September 18, 1893, she died at the age of 51. Grigory Nikolaevich went to Kyakhta with his wife’s body. He did not return to the expedition. Only six years later, in 1898, he went to explore the Greater Khingan.
Member of the Potanin expedition V.A. Obruchev, analyzing the results of expeditionary research in Central Asia, he wrote: “When the history of geographical discoveries and research in Inner Asia in the second half of the 19th century is written, the names of three Russian travelers will take pride of place on its pages and will be placed side by side - G.N. Potanina, N.M. Przhevalsky and M.V. Pevtsova... Of these three pioneers geographical work it is impossible to pull out a single one - in the outline they will immediately form big holes... The travel accounts of all three pioneers are reference books a modern naturalist... not only a geographer and ethnographer, but also a geologist, zoologist, botanist, even a climatologist and archaeologist...” (Quoted from: Grumm-Grzhimailo, 1961. P. 267).
Obruchev himself continued the planned research. In 1893, he walked around the Ordos plateau and explored part of the Nanypan mountain system, which included the Richthofen, Suess, Mushketov, and Semenov ridges. Having gone around Lake Kukunor, he descended along the valley of the Ruoshui River, walked around the Alashan desert from the north and came to the bow of the Yellow River. In 1894, Obruchev walked along the northern edge of Tibet through Beishan, the Hami and Turfan oases to Ghulja. Obruchev described his journey in the books “From Kyakhta to Kulja” and “Central Asia, Northern China and Nanypan” in two volumes (1900-1901). Obruchev returned to Central Asia again, in particular to Dzungaria, and took with him his young sons to transfer to them the skills of a field researcher in a real situation.
List domestic researchers Central Asia is not exhausted by those mentioned. It would be necessary to show more widely the contributions of Vsevolod Ivanovich Roborovsky, who lost his health during his main journey, and Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov, who excavated “ dead city» Khara-Khoto and discovered a whole library of ancient Manusk-ripts, Karl Ivanovich Bogdanovich, Grigory Efimovich and Mikhail Efimovich Grum Trzhimailo and a number of other researchers.
Teacher: Frolova I.K.
Subject: geography
Class: 7
Topic: “Exploration of Central Asia by Russian travelers.”
Tasks:
to form students’ knowledge about Russian explorers of Central Asia;
introduce methods of expeditionary research and their geographical results;
show an example of the selfless service of Russian researchers;
reveal the personality qualities that a true nature researcher should have;
continue work on developing skills in working with additional literature.
Equipment:
physical map"Eurasia"
physical map " Foreign Asia»
portraits of scientists: P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, N.M. Przhevalsky, V.A. Obruchev, P.K. Kozlova
Tables: “Tibet Highlands”, “Gobi Desert”, “Tien Shan”, “ Loess plateau Ordos."
Atlases
statements by scientists
Books: Obruchev V.A. “Sannikov’s Land”, “Plutonia”, “100 Great Travelers”, series “People of Science”: P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, I.V. Kozlov, B.V. Yusova, N.M. Przhevalsky.
Words on the board: “And life is beautiful because you can travel.”
N.M. Przhevalsky.
During the classes:
Org. moment. Greetings. Checking readiness for the lesson.
Learning new material.
1.Transition: In the last lesson, we got acquainted with the physical and geographical position of Eurasia, the outline of the coast. Today we will talk about how we explored the interior regions of Eurasia.
Lesson topic: “Exploration of Central Asia by Russian travelers.”
We will get acquainted with the concept of “Central Asia”, find out which of the Russian travelers explored this territory, get acquainted with their methods of work, as well as the results they achieved.
Working with the Atlas map and the wall map of Eurasia.
Guys, find on the map in the atlas the area of Asia where there are the most deserts. Name these mountains and deserts.
Deserts: Gobi, Alashan, Taklamakan, Tsaidam Basin, Karakum, Kyzylkum.
Mountains: Tien Shan, Himalayas, Tibet, Altai, Sayans.
This territory, located far from the oceans and seas, is called Central Asia. The name is purely geographical, because in the region of Kyzyl in Altai there is the center of Asia, a huge part of the world.
In the 19th century, all continents had already been discovered; distant Australia was known better than Central Asia. And in area it is slightly smaller than Australia (7 million km 2 ). They began to study the difficult-to-reach territory relatively late, only in the 19th century.
In the exploration of this territory, the merits of Russian travelers are especially high.
P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, N.M. Przhevalsky and his students, V.A. Obruchev, G.N. Potanin.
Gobi - Mong. waterless, lifeless area.
Karakum - black sands.
Kyzylkum - red sands.
Taklamakan is Turks. abandoned place
Tibet - from the name medieval state
Altai is Turks. high mountains
Sayans - from the name of the people
Today we will get to know our outstanding travelers and their discoveries in Central Asia.
Working with the class after the message.
Who is P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky?
Report about P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky (3-5 min.)
Geographer, Tien Shan researcher, head of the Russian Geographical Society, the first European research scientist to penetrate the Central Tien Shan.
Lines from memoirs:
“To penetrate into the depths of Asia to the snowy peaks of this inaccessible ridge, which the great Humboldt considered volcanic, and bring him several samples from the fragments of rocks of this ridge, and home a rich collection of flora and fauna of a country newly discovered for science - that was what seemed the most tempting feat for me.” .
What goals did Semenov set for himself before the trip?
Determine the size and depth of Lake Issyk-Kul.
Determine whether the Chu River flows out of the lake, i.e. solve the question: “Is Issyk-Kul a drainage or drainless lake?”
Check if Khan Tengri is highest peak Tien Shan.
Determine whether the Tien Shan is of volcanic origin.
What did Semyonov P.P. do?
Tien Shan (from Chinese) – heavenly mountains.
Set the height of the snow line.
Discovered existence
Refuted the view of the volcanic origin of the mountains.
“The result of all my intensified searches was that I absolutely did not find volcanoes, nor true volcanic phenomena, nor even volcanic rocks in the Heavenly Ridge,” wrote the traveler.
For the first time in geographical literature a description of altitudinal zonation appeared.
He collected the richest collections (about 300 rock samples, more than 1000 plant species). Absolutely deservedly received the right to be called Tien-Shansky for his scientific feat.
See cards with additions.
P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky I.V. Kozlova from the “People of Science” series.
What qualities should a person traveling around Central Asia have?
On the table, the brilliant study of the Tien Shan only lifted the veil of uncertainty over the nature of Central Asia, the vast expanses of which were depicted on the geographical maps of that time as a white spot.
It is no coincidence that, as vice-president of the Russian Geographical Society, P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky becomes one of the initiators of expeditions to Central Asia, incl. helps organize the expedition of N.M. Przhevalsky.
Report about N.M. Przhevalsky (3-5 min.)
Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky spent a total of about 15 years in Central Asia, crossing 33 thousand km of space (the length of the equator is 40 thousand km).
“Przhevalsky, with his eagle flight,” said Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky, “cut through the most unknown parts of Inner Asia.”
Working with the map.
Let's look at the territories in which Przhevalsky conducted research.
Deserts: Gobi, Alashan, Taklamakan, salt marshes of Tsaidam, mountain systems of Tsaidam, Nanshan, Kunlun, Northern Tibet. The Central Asian region is deservedly considered one of the most severe.
Description of the Gobi Desert.
On the map used by the traveler, the section of the route through the desert was 60 cm, on the map of the school atlas - 4 cm, but it took the expedition 44 difficult days to overcome it.
Gobi Desert in summer.
Another time, during his 4th trip, Przhevalsky had to cross the Gobi in winter, and again the desert met travelers with all the severity, only this time, instead of unbearable heat, colds and winds that gave birth sandstorms. The winds blew with such force that even small pebbles were lifted into the air, and larger pebbles rolled along the ground. Stones the size of a fist fell into a depression in the rocks and, rotated there by a storm, made potholes up to half a meter in diameter. What kind of character, will, and inflexibility must one have in order to lead in these conditions? systematic observations: It was difficult to write in the cold, since “you need to preheat the frozen ink and often bring the pen dipped in it to the fire so that it does not freeze.”
One of Przhevalsky's discoveries was the establishment of the northern border of Tibet.
Notes from a diary about the Tibet plateau.
See card number 4.
Excerpt from the book by Yusov B.V. “N.M. Przhevalsky” (series “People of Science” p.41)
It is difficult to imagine, but it was not the harsh nature that prevented the expedition from reaching its goal - the capital of Tibet - Lhasa, but the ignorance of Tibetan officials who prohibited further advance to the south.
It is no coincidence that Przhevalsky later admits:
“We then ventured deep into the Asian deserts, having with us only one ally - courage; everything else stood against us: both nature and people. Przhevalsky became the first European to explore the upper reaches of the great Chinese rivers Yangtze and Yellow River, and it was he who was able to solve the mystery of Lake Lop Nor.
Question for students.
What character traits did Przhevalsky have, in your opinion?
Courage, bravery, determination... and a whole set of other qualities that every “real traveler” certainly possesses.
There is a confession in Przhevalsky’s expedition diaries: “The storm of life, the thirst for activity and the cherished desire to explore the unknown countries of Inner Asia again tore me away from native land. Many things were thrown at me, even a lot, but the most difficult moment for me was always parting with my mother. Her tears and last Kiss We burned our hearts for a long time. More than once, among the wild desert or dense forests, a dear image was drawn to my imagination and made me mentally rush away to my native hearth... I loved my mother with all my soul.” The stern and unyielding traveler also remained a loving son.
Many pages of Przhevalsky's diary can become a kind of cure for the excessive romanticization of travel.
“A traveler in the Asian deserts must leave home all squeamishness, otherwise it is better not to travel,” he wrote. “For a fresh person, the mere sight of such a liquid would arouse disgust, but we, like the Mongols, are forced to drink it, having first boiled it over the fire and brewed it with brick tea.”
And one more fact, very important, characterizing N.M. Przhevalsky: for all 5 journeys (including travel around the Ussuri region), full of hardships, dangers, difficulties, he did not lose a single person from his expeditions.
His student and later famous explorer Central Asia, Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov recalled how strictly and systematically he prepared him for special program N.M. Przhevalsky.
During the expeditions, Nikolai Mikhailovich observed the weather 3 times a day, led visual shooting, determined the latitude of the place, photographed the height of the place above sea level, made descriptions and sketches of plants and animals, made descriptions of nature, collected ethnographic material about the peoples living in these territories.
N.M. Przhevalsky trained a galaxy of students. Mikhail Aleksandrovich Pyltsov participated in the 1st and 2nd trips (favorite student); Vsevolod Ivanovich Roborovsky - in the 3rd and 4th, he also led the 5th expedition that did not take place for Przhevalsky.
Discovered: wild horse, Asian camel, Tibetan bear.
Buried in Karakol.
A story about the monument to Przhevalsky.
Report about P.K. Kozlov.
Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov participated in the expeditions of Przhevalsky and his students, and also made 2 trips to the Mongolian Altai and Gobi, discovering the dead city of Khara-Khoto in the Gobi, to the sources of the Yangtze, Yellow, and Mekong rivers.
Grigory Nikolaevich Potanin.
Simultaneously with Przhevalsky's 2nd journey (1876), G.N. Potanin began his travels to Mongolia. He traveled to Northern China and Central Asia, explored mountain system Greater Khingan. His wife Alexandra Nikolaevna (one of the first Russian travelers) traveled with him.
Report about V.A.Obruchev.
Important information The famous Russian traveler and researcher Vladimir Afanasyevich Obruchev, author of science fiction books: “Sannikov’s Land” and “Plutonium”, etc., enriched science about the nature of Central Asia and China.
Thanks to Russian research, a map of Central Asia was compiled.
Thanks to Russian research in Central Asia, Russian names appeared. For example, the Kremlin, Monomakh's Cap, the Russian, Moscow, Przhevalsky ridges. At the source of the Yellow River, 2 lakes were discovered - Russian and Lake Expedition. And this is connected with Przhevalsky’s expedition. How many others?
Fixing the material.
Questions to consolidate:
What mountain system was explored by P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky?
What were his achievements in this expedition?
How big natural areas investigated by N.M. Przhevalsky?
What are the names of N.M. Przhevalsky’s students and followers?
What is the role of G.N. Potanin?
Who explored Central Asia in the 20th century?
Homework. Central Asian Studies.