History of the Archiving Development in the North Caucasus Region: 17th – Early 20th Century
| 04 December 2025
Posted in
Archival funds and collections
УДК 94(470.6)+930.25
DOI 10.28995/2073-0101-2017-4-10-22
Elena G. Muratova
Kabardino-Balkarian State University, Nalchik, Russian Federation
History of the Archiving Development in the North Caucasus Region: 17th – Early 20th Century
Abstract
The article summarizes results of the historiographic research of the archiving development in the Caucasus region in the 17th - early 20th century. It shows that the archives history of the North Caucasus region is connected to the colonization process and emergence of the Russian administration in the region. In the second half of 19th - early 20th century sorting and systematization of extant archival collections on the long process of affiliation between the Caucasus and Russia were performed by individual historians, as well as by special commissions and institutions. Thanks to the work of historians P. I. Khitsunov, A. P. Berzhe, P. K. Uslar, A. S. Sobrievski, N. A. Volkonski, I. V. Bentkovski, G. I. Prozritelev, and scientists from the military department, the first descriptions of the Caucasus archives appeared in the second half of the 20th century. Documents in these collections described, most important archival sources were published. For subsequent studies, methodological approach of V. S. Ikonnikov was of particular significance. Data on place of storage, collection, and publication of historical sources, as well as information on historical institutions and government activities in the field of recovery and preservation of historic heritage, was to be included in historiographic reviews. This fundamental approach laid the groundwork for modern national historiography of the archiving development in the Caucasus. Works of E. N. Kusheva, V. G. Gadzhiev, L. M. Parova, M. E. Kolesnikova, V. G. Tsogoev, N. I. Nesmachnaya, A. T. Urushadze, T. A. Koloskovskaya et al. study various aspects of the topic and common approaches to studying the history of the Caucasus archives and archeography. Apparently, characterization of the modern historiographic discourse on the issues of archiving history in the Caucasus region prior to the 20th century is of great significance for historical science and education. Not only does it promote formation of a holistic view of the sources on the North Caucasus history and methods for studying and using them in historical research, it also helps to identify promising trends in historical study of the Caucasus.
Keywords
Archives, archival sources, source study, North Caucasus, 17th-19th centuries, historiography, archeography.
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About the authors
Muratova Elena Georgievna, PhD in History, professor, Kabardino-Balkarian State University, head of the Russian history department, Nalchik, Russian Federation, +7-928-703-90-79, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it