This award supports travel that will allow U.S. and Russian scholars to participate in a small international conference on Russian America in Kiakhta, Russia. Related collaborative activities, with opportunities for student involvement, will include archaeological testing in Kiakhta, the characterization of historical documents in the Kiakhta archives, the collection of archaeological glass samples for chemical analysis from the 18th century Tal'tsinka glass factory near Irkutsk, and the opportunistic examination of museum collections.
Despite close geographic and historic ties between Siberia and Alaska, there has been little cooperative work in historical archaeology. Through a multi-faceted approach, this project advances information exchange and scientific research in the ancient gateway city of Kiakhta, through which Chinese tea and durable goods entered Russia for distribution throughout its empire, to include colonial settlements in North America. The project also allows for the continuation of research in and near Irkutsk, the administrative center of Siberia from which expeditions to America were organized. The data from Kiakhta and Irkutsk may help us to better understand this chapter of U.S. history by elucidating the origin and nature of goods shipped to Russian America.
The merit of the proposed activity lies in the promotion of an international community of students, investigators, and cultural resource managers dedicated to conducting joint research on the shared history of Russia and the U.S. during the time of Russian America. It also presents an opportunity for U.S. scholars to establish work relations in the multi-ethnic Republic of Buryatia. This project broadens the understanding of colonial Russian America and its historical connections with China and central Siberia through the dissemination of knowledge and development of collaborative international partnerships. The involvement of students encourages the perpetuation of joint research in the region. The project also emphasizes cooperation between Russian and U.S. museums through a "sister museum" concept.
This award supported travel in conjunction with collaborative U.S. - Russian archaeological fieldwork, international conferences, education and cultural activities associated with the study colonial Russian America. Project activities built upon previous work in Russia and Alaska during 2004-2008 by the "International Association of Specialists on Russian America" (IASRA), an informal consortium of museum workers, archaeologists, historians, educators, students and members of the interested public. While England, France and Spain were exploring and colonizing the U.S. Atlantic and lower Pacific coasts, Russian Cossacks were conquering Siberia and opening the way for promyshlenniki to venture eastward in search of furs. By the mid-18th century, Russian expeditions had reached portions of the northwest coast of North America. This culminated in the establishment of Russian settlements in Alaska, California and Hawaii during the 2nd half of the 18th century and first half of the 19th century. The earliest expeditions to North America were launched from the central Siberian settlement of Irkutsk, founded on the Angara River in 1661 and eventually to become the center of provincial government and finance. It is believed that Irkutsk and the trans-Baikal region were the source of supply to Russia’s American settlements prior to her ‘round the world’ voyages that began in 1803. During this period, Irkutsk was also heavily involved with the Kiakhta trade, through which Chinese items (e.g., cotton cloth, silk, tea, porcelain, earthenwares, tobacco, and glass beads) were procured and redistributed throughout the Russian Empire, to include settlements in North America. Additionally, many persons prominent in the history of Russian America are linked to the Irkutsk region. Despite these close geographic and historic ties between Siberia and Alaska, there has been little cooperative work in historical archaeology until recent years. It is also notable that, outside a few communities with Russian heritage in Alaska and California, this important chapter of U.S. history has gone largely unnoticed. IASRA and the Alaska Historical Society are attempting to address these gaps through collaborative international research and education. Specific activities under this award included 2009 archaeological testing at a mid-19th century customs compound in Kiakhta. At the southern terminus of the ancient "tea road" on the Russian-Mongolian border, this was the only legal land-based point of entry for Chinese tea and durable goods into Russia during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. While it was hoped that excavations would reveal artifacts from an earlier (circa 1727) compound that would provide insights on exports to the American settlements, the testing was largely negative due to Soviet era disturbance. A subsequent reconnaissance survey, however, did reveal eroding historic materials at a nearby location that may indicate location of an earlier compound. This may be the target of future archaeological work. The project team also inventoried relevant documents in the Kiakhta Museum Archives, participated in an international conference on Russian America in Kiakhta, met with local archaeologists, and traveled to Ulan Ude to meet with the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Buriatia, his deputy, and museum directors. In Irkutsk, the award allowed for minor archaeological testing at the site of the circa 1784 Talts’inka Glass Factory, which presumably produced containers, beads and window glass for the Alaska trade. Glass samples were collected as part of an ongoing study to identify sources of supply through the chemical comparison of archaeological glass samples from Alaska and Talts’inka. Through a supplementary request, the award also supported travel for several American and U.S. scholars to participate in archaeological testing of three colonial Russian sites in Sitka, Alaska, in 2010. The work was performed concurrent with the Fourth (2010) International Conference on Russian America, allowing site visits for attending scholars as well as the interested public. With assistance from the Kenaitze Indian Tribe and other sponsors, site visits on the Kenai Peninsula were also arranged for the visiting Russian scholars. Finally, the award supported travel for the PI and Co-PI to play key roles in seminars on Russian America hosted by organizations in Ryazan, Vologda, and Totma, Russia, in 2011. This resulted in discussions on directions for future research, and the development of draft cooperative agreements between the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ryazan State University, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and organizations in Alaska. Intellectual merit was derived from the promotion of an international community of students, investigators, and cultural resource managers dedicated to conducting joint research on the shared history of Russia and the U.S. during the time of Russian America. It also presented an opportunity for U.S. scholars interested in the Kiakhta trade to establish work relations in the multi-ethnic Republic of Buryatia for the first time. The project has broadened the understanding of colonial Russian America through the dissemination of knowledge and development of collaborative international partnerships. The involvement of students has encouraged the perpetuation of joint research in both the U.S. and Russia.
