Russia’s Inherited Geographies

Work at the Bakalskii Mine. 1910. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/prok/item/prk2000000886/

Prokudin-Gorskii travelled throughout the Russian empire trying document a visual Russia. His work features numerous beautiful landscapes and interesting people whose vivid colors attract attention, but I think some of the more striking pictures are the ones that feature people with hauntingly somber faces seemingly absorbed in their own life. In particular, I find the piece called Work at the Bakalskii Mine fascinating. Why did Prokudin-Gorkii choose them and how are they worthy of representing a visual Russia?

These questions led to the Ural Mountain region, where the picture was taken. This mountain range is located in central Russia, a far stretch away from the more populous eastern region. Before the completion of the railroad, the Ural Mountains were somewhat alienated from eastern Russia. Many would suspect that this region would have a lower population given its isolation and physical characteristics but the Ural Mountain region is an interesting case study as it strays from what seems to be typical settlement patterns. The maps below are all from around the same time period and if layered hint at an interesting pattern. Looking at the topographic map it is evident that the Ural Mountains are at a much higher elevation than eastern Europe, which generally notes lower settlement patterns due to more difficult living situations. If the population map were layered over it the steady population pattern would be noticed. There is not a distinct population gap in the Ural Mountains as expected. If the transportation map of Russia were placed on top it would note a network of routes in Eastern Russia and some strands connecting eastern Russia to the mountains. Why do these mountains lend to exceptions in settlement patterns and does this have any relevance to the stature of the region today?

One explanation is this region being geographical significance to the people of Russia. The Ural Mountain region is respected because of its mining capabilities. When Peter the Great founded Yekaterinburg (a city in the Urals) in 1723 he saw it as a strategic point that could connect Europe and Asia. But the Urals also had an abundance of natural resources that would spur economic development and demand its importance to Russia. In 1729 a gem-processing factory was created, catching the eye of European states. The mountains also held precious metals that could be used for the production of war supplies and industrial equipment, but the discovery of gold in the mountains is perhaps what caused the biggest population flow, as the discovery brought bankers, merchants, and other business. As railroads paved the way into the Urals populations began to flow into them furthering economic development. The city continued to grow and today remains one of Russia’s most populated cities, and is considered to be an industrial powerhouse.

This begs the question: Are we creators of our settlement habits, or rather reactors to geographical significance? The Ural Mountains and cities, such as Yekaterinburg, are exempt from general realities of settlement rational by housing heavy populations and become centers of industrial innovation. Does this mean geographic incentives are enough to stray from typical settlement patterns?  If so, do some geographic realities outweigh others? For example: The Ural Mountains are a slightly colder climate than eastern cities but have the capabilities to provide riches. So is one thought to be more important than the other? Could this be proof that we are living in inherited geographies or is this a mere coincidence with a much more complex premise that cannot be attributed specifically to geographic capabilities?

This post received the Red Star award

More on Inherited Geographies:

Oliver, R. (2016). Lecture: Sense of Place [Powerpoint Slides]. Retrieved from https://scholar.vt.edu/portal/site/8a5c2c06-c2a1-4bac-8d1e-b135b46e7034

Etty, J. (2007, September). Russia’s Climate and Geography. Retrieved January 22, 2017, from https://www.historytoday.com/john-etty/russia%E2%80%99s-climate-and-geography

Images: 

This image is titled: Work at the Bakalskii Mine Pit. Created by: Prokudin-Gorskii, Sergei Mikhailovich, 1910. World Digital Library: https://www.wdl.org/en/item/5390/#q=Prokudin-Gorskii+Ural+Mountain+region+&page=5&qla=en

Russian Topographic map: http://www.russiamap.org/map.php?map=physical-topo

Russian population: https://www.loc.gov/resource/g7001e.mf000013/

Russian Transportation: https://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/collections/maps/eurotransport/

Works Cited:

Alpha History. (2015, February 19). Russian industrialisation. Retrieved January 22, 2017, from http://alphahistory.com/russianrevolution/russian-industrialisation/

Ekaterinburg. (n.d.). Retrieved January 22, 2017, from http://welcome-ural.ru/urals/174/

Freeze, Gregory L. Russia: A History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. 216. Print.

History. (n.d.). Retrieved January 22, 2017, from http://www.ekburg.ru/english_version/about_Ekaterinburg/history_Ekaterinburg/

History of Yekaterinburg :: Regions & Cities :: Russia-InfoCentre. (n.d.). Retrieved January 22, 2017, from http://www.russia-ic.com/regions/3053/3054/history/

Romanov, D. (n.d.). The History Of Yekaterinburg. Retrieved January 22, 2017, from http://its.ekburg.ru/en/ekaterinburg/history/

US Department of State. (n.d.). Yekaterinburg, Russia – Consulate General of the United States. Retrieved January 22, 2017, from https://yekaterinburg.usconsulate.gov/yekat_and_sverdoblast.html