569-588 p.

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doi.org: https://doi.org/10.22378/he.2026-11-3.569-588
EDN: SJHMQA

Abstract. The article is devoted to the special aspects of the representation of the architecture of Central Asian cities in the collection of photographs of the Ethnographic Museum of Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University. The authors’ interest is drawn to 74 photographs featuring architecture and urban views from almost 220 units of the Central Asian photo collection. The authors divide the analyzed photographs into thematic groups corresponding to the depicted cities (Tashkent, Bukhara, Khiva, and Samarkand). A group of photographs dedicated to ritual and funerary complexes in different cities of the region stands out. The authors provide a detailed description of the religious, funeral, commercial, administrative and residential buildings depicted in the photographs. The appearance of the analyzed collection in the museum collection of Kazan University is related to the activities of the Society of Archeology, History and Ethnography, which was established in 1878. A large collection of photographs was transferred in the 1880s by N.N. Pantusov, a member of the Society, who held administrative positions in Turkestan. This museum fund had several other sources of replenishment. Despite the unsystematic and often sporadic formation of the fund, the considered photographic collections form a relative system and provide insight into certain aspects of local culture, in particular, the architectural tradition. The analysis of the collection allowed us to obtain valuable historical and ethnological information about the appearance of Central Asian cities and the degree of preservation of local historical and architectural monuments in the second half of the 19th century. The foundation provides an overview of certain aspects of the local culture of that time, in particular, the architectural traditions of Central Asia. The authors of the photographs, wishing to capture and convey the local ethno-confessional culture, preferred fixation of the external parameters of the buildings. The authors carried out a detailed attribution of photographic images in 2023–2024. Despite the accomplished work, four images remain unattributed at the time of publication of the article, and a quarter had minimal attribution (“mosque,” “city” without a name). This lays the research foundation for the subsequent full-fledged cataloging of the entire collection and its introduction into wide scientific circulation as a representative visual source on urbanism and ethnography of Central Asia in the second half of the 19th century.

Keywords: architecture; city; Central Asia; museum; mosque; mausoleum; photography; photo collection

For citation: Bulatova P.I., Khanzyarova Ch.N., Mingaliev A.Kh. (2026) Urban architecture of Central Asia in the photo collection of the Ethnographic Museum of Kazan University. Istoricheskaya etnologiya [Historical Ethnology]. Vol. 11. No. 3: 569–588. https://doi.org/10.22378/he.2026-11-3.569-588 (In Russ.)

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About the authors: Polina I. Bulatova, Curator of museum objects of the 1st category of the Ethnographic Museum, Directorate of Museums, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University (18 Kremlevskaya St., Kazan 420008, Russian Federation); https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6260-5799; e-mail: polinabulatova116@gmail.com
Chulpan N. Khanzyarova, Specialist in registering of museum objects of the Ethnographic Museum, Directorate of Museums, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University (18 Kremlevskaya St., Kazan 420008, Russian Federation); https://orcid.org/0009-0007-7387-7945; e-mail: chulpanka.hanzyarova@mail.ru
Arslan Kh. Mingaliev, Head of the Ethnographic Museum, Directorate of Museums, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University (18 Kremlevskaya St., Kazan 420008, Russian Federation); https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0808-2883; e-mail: arslan.mingaliev@yandex.ru

Received 04.03.2026 Revised 20.07.2026   Accepted for publication 31.07.2026

Published Online 01.09.2026