THE FORMATION OF THE RUSSIAN BORDER IN THE UPPER OB-IRTYSH AREA IN APPRAISALS OF SCIENTISTS AND TRAVELERS OF THE XVIII CENTURY

Abstract

The article represents the experience of distinguishing and reconstruction of the views of scientists and travelers of the XVIII century on the formation of the Russian border in the Upper Ob-Irtysh area. The emergence of the historical and geographical images is considered as a direct consequence of the lack of delimited and demarcated border between the Russian Empire and the Dzungar Khanate, and then the Qing Empire. The source basis of the publication is composed by writings of significant for the history of region scientific figures: G. F. Miller, G. V. Gennin, I. P. Falk, P. S. Pallas. The study was methodologically grounded by the "close up" method. Research statements are analyzed in detail in the context of the scientists’ targets, attracted sources and circumstances of the implementation of the expeditions. The author identifies the ideologies with predominance of archetypal ideas, pays special attention to P. S. Pallas’s concept of "natural border" and his observations on the mode of functioning of the state borders, finally coming to the conclusion about fragmentariness, eclecticism and multivariatness of historical and geographical images of the Russian border.