On the Kalmyk cattle census of the late XIX – early XX century: based on the materials of the instructions of the cattle census

Abstract

The subject of the article is the rules of the census of livestock among the Kalmyks of the Astrakhan province, in accordance with the established instructions. The chronological framework covers the late XIX – early XX centuries. The object of the study was the Kalmyk cattle census program. The purpose of the study is to disclose the main provisions of the instructions for the registration of pets on the territory of the Kalmyk steppe, based on previously unused archival materials. The methodology of the work applied the principles of historicism, system analysis of available sources. Of particular value are archival materials from the fund of the Astrakhan Civil Governor's Office, which are currently the only source covering the rules of the Kalmyk cattle census. Earlier, in scientific circles studying regional history, the issue of livestock census was not considered. Usually, in historical science, issues of the general state of cattle breeding and statistical data obtained as a result of the livestock census were touched upon, but the process of the livestock census itself was not studied. The scientific novelty of this study lies in the first description of a detailed algorithm for accounting Kalmyk cattle of the post-reform period. The results of the study, in addition to the introduction of new archival materials into scientific circulation, revealed: the role of each representative of the Kalmyks' social groups in the production of the livestock census, the chronological framework of the census itself and additional conditions for its production.