Creative Biography of the First Russian Mongologist Scholar A.V. Igumnov: Historiography of the Theme

Abstract

The article presents the Russian historiography of the creative biography and scientific heritage of the first Russian and Siberian Mongologist scholar A.V. Igumnov. The article presents a historiographical review of the works of Russian researchers devoted to the initial stage of Siberian Mongolian studies and the role of A.V. Igumnov in the compilation of the Mongolian-Russian dictionary and grammar of the Mongolian language, and the collection of monuments of the Mongolian script. A new evaluation of the dictionary by A.V. Igumnov in the history of Russian Mongolism is proposed. The article presents data on the dictionary and grammar of academician Ya. I. Schmidt, the dictionary of professor O.M. Kovalevsky, who used the materials of the unpublished dictionary of A.V. Igumnov. These facts seriously clarify the history of Russian Mongolian studies and prove the superiority of the Irkutsk translator. The idea of the priority of A.V. Igumnov's dictionary in Russian Mongolian studies is substantiated, and the assessments of Russian researchers on this issue are given. It is assumed that his dictionary was created, but not published and preserved in a manuscript at the Local History Museum of Kyachta.