19th 20th Centuries Research Articles

A Modern View of the European Vector of the Military Development of Ukrainian Lands in the 13th–14th Centuries: Prospects for Future Historiographical Studies

Given the widespread dissemination of Russian mythologies about Rus and its history, the examination of different phases in Ukraine's military history has become a crucial undertaking in our contemporary era. The primary objective of the research paper was to scrutinise the manifestations of European military culture within the trajectory of Ukrainian lands' development during the 13th and 14th centuries, with a particular focus on the Galician-Volhynian state. The analytical framework employed in this study encompassed methods such as content the analysis, the genetic-historical method, and synthesis. The scientific novelty of the work also consisted in an attempt to overcome stereotypes and refute false statements with the help of objective historical sources. The results of the analysis revealed robust connections between the military developments in 13th and 14th century Rus and the principles of European chivalry. A meticulous examination of specific chronicle events illuminated conspicuous indications of chivalric practices embedded within the Rus’ian elite. Noteworthy among these manifestations was the deliberate adoption of mounted shock combat, a strategic approach mirroring European methods prevalent in the 13th century. It was imperative to underscore that Rus’ian princes and boyars demonstrated parity with their European counterparts in both military proficiency and the quality of their equipment. The Battle of Yaroslav in 1245 exemplified this parity, illustrating the effective resistance of the Rus’ian elite against the formidable Polish and Hungarian knights of that era. The mastery of mounted shock combat necessitated skill and training, suggesting that the Rus’ian military elite underwent analogous chivalric education. In conclusion, this study posited that during the Middle Ages, the military elite wielded substantial political influence in Rus, indicative of protracted and significant interactions with the European sphere. This challenges antiquated Soviet notions characterising the political system of Rus as "closed" and contradicts contemporary Russian narratives perpetuating myths surrounding the enduring dependence of Ukrainian lands on Moscow.

The heartbeat of folklore. The presence of folklore in Spanish piano in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The heartbeat of folklore. The presence of folklore in Spanish piano in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Cuban Macaw (<i>Ara tircolor</i>) in the Upper Pleistocene of western Cuba

The Cuban Macaw, Ara tricolor (Bechstein, 1811), is an extinct species of large parrots with little known historical distribution and ecology. To date, only three late Quaternary paleontological and one archaeozoological (17th–18th centuries) finds of the species have been described from central Cuba. This article describes the new (fourth) fossil record of the Cuban Macaw, a fragmentary carpometacarpus from the Upper Pleistocene layers of El Abrón Cave in Pinar del Río province. This is the first documented evidence of the species from the western part of Cuba. The associated fauna indicates that the Cuban Macaw lived in mosaic, semi-open marshy landscapes, probably similar to those in the vicinity of Ciénaga de Zapata in modern times.

Antizipation von Zukunft?

Abstract Current research in medieval studies focuses on how the future was dealt with in medieval culture. While Reinhart Koselleck has denied the Middle Ages any interest in an inner-worldly future, recent contributions show a variety of diverse endeavours to know and influence the future. By examining naval campaigns of the city commune of Genoa from the 12th–14th centuries, this article argues in favour of examining the social practice of medieval societies more intensively in terms of how people tried to influence what would happen in the future. The study of three military campaigns – the attacks on the Spanish harbour cities of Almería and Tortosa in 1147 and 1148, the conquest of Chios and Phocaea in 1346 and a failed expedition to Cyprus in 1383 – shows that in all cases the exercise of military force was at best planned in outline. As a rule, it was assumed that the available contingents and experience would be sufficient for success. Concrete tactics, but in the case of Chios and Phokaia also the targets of the attacks, were only agreed upon during the campaigns. A record of one such negotiation has even been preserved from Cyprus. On the other hand, there were diplomatic and, above all, economic planning horizons that stipulated long-term agreements even before the attack, in which precise deadlines and dates for payments were fixed as well as alliance obligations. The interference between these futures, which were planned and plannable to varying degrees, resulted in the inherent dynamics of non-synchronised temporalities.

Food of the Siberian Tatars in the ethno-cultural processes of the 17th–18th centuries (by the materials of the culture of the Tomsk group of Tatars)

Food of the Siberian Tatars in the ethno-cultural processes of the 17th–18th centuries (by the materials of the culture of the Tomsk group of Tatars)

Renaming (and Reshaping) The University of Edinburgh’s “Oriental” Manuscript Collection

The University of Edinburgh holds a substantial collection of manuscripts in Persian, Arabic, Turkish, and South Asian languages, formerly known as the “Oriental Manuscript Collection”. This article reports recent steps taken to make this collection, which consists largely of manuscripts collected by Scottish East India Company officials between the late 18th and mid 19th centuries C.E, relevant to the present day global audience, and to widen access to it. This includes its renaming as "Manuscripts of the Islamicate World and South Asia", and the creation of a digitally searchable catalogue on the ArchivesSpace platform, largely through the use of “legacy data” from a 1925 printed catalogue, yet with a focus on making provenance information readily available. We discuss the challenges involved in renaming, and indeed reinterpreting, a historical collection whilst adhering to the principles of archival and library science. We share the methodology used to create our digitally searchable catalogue, a relatively simple model that may well prove useful for those curating similar collections.

Ir ort oyf der velt/ Her place in the world.Irena Klepfisz’s Secular Jewish Identity

This study explores the concept of Jewish secularism through the works of Irena Klepfisz, a Polish-born, New York-based Jewish poet. Rooted in the Jewish workers’ party, the Bund, activein the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Klepfi sz’s identity and poetry are examined against thebackdrop of Jewish history, secularism, and feminism. Her unique notion of secular Jewish identity,shaped by her Bundist upbringing, Holocaust trauma, and engagement with post-war feministmovements, is highlighted. Klepfisz’s poetry, especially her 1986 essay “Secular Jewish Identity”,serves as a focal point, illustrating the role of literary scholarship in forming a post-war Jewishsecular identity. This identity is enriched by her experiences as a Holocaust survivor, feminist,and lesbian. The study aims to present Klepfisz’s version of contemporary secular Jewish identity,offering insights into how her readers might resonate with her radical blend of secularism, feminism,and Jewish cultural heritage.

Material Characterisation of 19–20th Century Manuscripts from Northern Thailand

Abstract Material analysis was carried out on four manuscripts from Northern Thailand, which included two palm-leaf manuscripts and two paper manuscripts. The two palm-leaf manuscripts MS 6 and MS 7 were found to have been written in the traditional method, wherein text was incised on the surface of the leaves, and then soot applied to the surfaces, confirmed by the identification of carbon ink. MS 7 additionally showed the presence of trace levels of iron in the ink, either from soot paste or from the stylus used for inscribing. The paper manuscript MS 3 was written in iron-gall ink, with sections written using a methyl-violet based ink while MS 4 was written in carbon ink. The paper used in the case of MS 3 was found to be machine made, while khoi fibres (Streblus asper) were used for making the paper used for MS 4. A combination of traditional and modern pigments, like molybdenum orange, was used for decorating the edges and cover. The results improved our understanding of these manuscripts in particular, and also provided us with insights about the rapid adoption of modern materials and their incorporation into the production of written artefacts from Northern Thailand in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Unveiling the female experience through adult mortality and survivorship in Milan over the last 2000 years

This study challenges historical paradigms using a large-scale integrated bioarchaeological approach, focusing on the female experience over the last 2,000 years in Milan, Italy. Specifically, 492 skeletons from the osteological collection of Milan were used to elucidate female survivorship and mortality by integrating bioarchaeological and paleopathological data, paleoepidemiological analyses, and historical contextualization. Findings revealed changes in female longevity, with a notable increase from Roman to contemporary eras, albeit plateauing in the Middle Ages/modern period. Significant sex-specific differences in mortality risk and survivorship were observed: females had higher mortality risk and lower survivorship in the Roman (first-fifth century AD) and Modern (16th-18th century AD) eras, but this trend reversed in the contemporary period (19th-20th century AD). Cultural and social factors negatively impacted female mortality in Roman and modern Milan, while others buffered it during the Middle Ages (sixth-15th century AD). This study underscored the importance of bioarchaeological inquiries in reconstructing the past, providing answers that may challenge historical assumptions and shedding light on how the interplay of cultural, social, and biological factors shaped the female experience across millennia.

The intersectional effects of sex and socioeconomic status on risk of mortality in industrializing England.

Intersectionality posits that multiple levels of marginalization interact to produce patterns of frailty and mortality, both today and in the past. To investigate how mortality during industrialization was selective with respect to sex and socioeconomic status (SES), this study analyzes data from four burial grounds dated to the 18th-19th centuries in England: St. Bride's Fleet Street, Coach Lane, St. Peter's Collegiate Church, and New Bunhill Fields. St. Bride's was considered the high SES group, and Coach Lane, St. Peter's, and New Bunhill Fields were separately and collectively analyzed as the low SES groups. Sex (in individuals aged 18+ years) was modeled as a covariate affecting the Gompertz model of mortality, and SES (in individuals for whom age could be estimated) was modeled as a covariate affecting the Siler and Gompertz models of mortality. The results indicate that sex influenced risk of mortality among adults in the high SES group. High SES males faced lower risks of death compared to high SES females. The results also suggest that SES influenced risk of mortality across all ages. High SES individuals were at reduced risks of death compared to low SES individuals. Increased mortality risks among individuals of low SES was likely due to the low standards of living common in the impoverished areas of cities in industrializing England. However, in accordance with intersectionality, the benefits of high status were unequally distributed among adults in the high SES group, suggesting that men were the primary beneficiaries of the protective aspects of high SES.

Novo-Nikolaevsk (Novosibirsk): Planning Solution of the Future Siberian Metropolis Late in the 19th and Early 20th Centuries

The paper studies the urban planning of future Novosibirsk in the period of formation of its general plan late in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The initial structure of the city as Central, Railway and Zakamenskaya parts with their orthogonal scheme of blocks, streets and alleys is investigated.The urban planning phenomenon of pre-revolutionary Novo-Nikolaevsk is of great interest for the history of national and world urban planning. The urban planning is considered and evaluated as well as the use of other planning concepts and new techniques available in those years.The necessity of preserving the existing historical urban structure in the central part of modern Novosibirsk is substantiated, the possibility of its practical use in reconstruction and development of historical quarters of the city is considered.

Christianization of the Goths and Alanians in the South-Western Crimea in the 4th—6th Centuries

Christianization of the Goths and Alanians in the South-Western Crimea in the 4th—6th Centuries

Baroque Architecture in West Siberia

The article shows the main directions of the architecture development in West Siberia in the 17th and early 20th centuries. Research of the last decades devoted to the artistic and decorative interpretation of stone and wooden buildings is summarized. The mutual effect of their ornaments is noted. It is found that the Baroque style, widely used in the architecture of West Europe and Russia of the 17–18th centuries, is not adequately developed in Siberian cities. Siberian Baroque originated at the beginning of the 20th century, affects mainly religious buildings. In construction of stone residential and public buildings, this style is quite rare.The purpose of this article is to analyze the development of this trend in Siberia. The main focus is on Baroque ornamentation. Baroque elements are widely used in wooden architecture of Siberia in the 19th century. Presently, it draws attention from architectural researchers. The article studies Baroque ornaments in terms of Russian traditions, identifies the relationship between the main architectural styles and customs of wooden architecture and ornaments in Siberia.

Pathways to Modernity: Ottoman Reforms Before and During the Tanzimat

This study analyses the modernisation efforts within the Ottoman Empire during the pre-Tanzimat and Tanzimat periods, examining the intricate balance between Westernisation and genuine modernisation strategies. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the Ottoman Empire faced significant military, economic, and administrative challenges, prompting a decisive shift towards comprehensive reforms in socio-cultural, military, and administrative domains. These profound reforms were primarily driven by the imperative to address the empire's perceived backwardness in comparison to Europe and to safeguard its territorial integrity. During the Tanzimat period (1839-1876), the Empire undertook extensive reforms in governance, fiscal policies, and civil rights, particularly through the Gülhane Hatt-ı Hümayunu and the Islahat Fermanı. While these reforms laid the groundwork for subsequent modernization efforts, they encountered substantial resistance from entrenched social and political structures and were subject to intense scrutiny. This article meticulously examines the inception of the Ottoman Empire's modernisation process, elucidating the Empire's strategic efforts to advance and sustain modernisation amidst the intricate balance between the influences of Western modernity and the preservation of Ottoman heritage and traditional values. Within this framework, it underscores the continuity of reforms and modernization from the late 18th century through to the Republican era.

Mobilizing Frontiers

Since the late 17th century, the Mekong Delta has become a vibrant place for Vietnamese, ethnic Khmer, and ethnic Chinese settlements, forming mixed communities in terms of race and culture. As a new frontier, the Delta has continuously undergone state-sponsored “civilizing” processes. The resulting hybridity in folk culture gave birth to various religious sects, especially on the Vietnamese-Cambodian border. From the view of late imperial Confucianism, these groups were judged as “heretical sects” and their leaders “heretical masters”. Despite being classified as “heretical”, these local “masters” and their communities still insisted on the core Confucian values of benevolence, righteousness and patriotism. Chinese secret societies and rebels escaped to the Delta in different times, bringing new ideas to the region, especially the cults of Five Lord Buddhas, Maitreya, and the concept of the birth of the wise king. Under French suppression, these “heretical masters” changed their religious strategies, supported local military leaders and secret societies to “fight the French and restore Đại Nam”. This research aims to investigate and analyse the “heretical” religious movements and ideological transformation of “heretical masters” in the Mekong River Delta in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, thereby strengthening the argument that although Vietnam’s local religious elites were marginalized and suppressed by state governance (the Nguyễn dynasty, French colonialists), they always cared about national independence and social prosperity, and therefore transformed their sectarian strategies into a special form of religio-political hybridity. National independence was definitely prioritized, and therefore the concept of “loyalty” in the traditional Confucian view turned into “patriotism” in the new context of French invasion and colonialization. This study uses a mixture of extensive field data collected between 2015‒2017 and 2022‒2024 (the primary data source for this study) with limited original texts from the Nguyễn dynasty and the research findings of selective previous scholars, and applies the theoretical concept of “standardization” and/or “orthopraxy” from the pre-modern Confucian tradition to examine and analyse political-religious practices, ideological transformation, and implicit narratives among local religious masters in rural Southern Vietnam, confirming that the Mekong Delta has fostered an environment of cultural and religious dynamism and pluralism since the late 19th century.

A skeletal dysplasia leading to a perinatal death in 17th–19th century Lisbon, Portugal

AbstractCongenital skeletal disorders are a heterogeneous group of anomalies that become evident during gestation. They are expressed in the shape and growth of the bones during development because of a defective genetic background. With the follow‐up of pregnant women and the advances in prenatal ultrasonographic examination and molecular genetic tests, nowadays, congenital skeletal disorders are identified at an early gestational age. If they are considered lethal, the termination of pregnancy is advised. This work unveils an exceptional instance of a rare pathological condition identified in a perinate (birth ± 2 weeks) from the 17th to 19th centuries, recovered during an excavation at the cloister of the São Domingos Convent in Lisbon, Portugal. The skeleton presents with exuberant modifications that include, among others, severe shortening (micromelia) and bowing of the long bones of the upper and lower limbs. The main skeletal findings indicated a presumptive general diagnosis of skeletal dysplasia, while the differential diagnosis includes hypophosphatasia, campomelic dysplasia, achondrogenesis, thanatophoric dysplasia, and severe achondroplasia with developmental delay and acanthosis nigricans (SADDAN) as the most plausible causes for the observed skeletal changes. Even though an exact diagnosis is unattainable based only on the macroscopic analysis of the bones, the phenotypic features observed in this perinate are more consistent with thanatophoric dysplasia type 1.

Data Sources on the 19th and Early 20th Century German Capital Market: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract This article provides a comprehensive overview of the most important sources and data available for the German capital market, highlighting their capabilities and limitations. We focus on firm-specific information related to stock corporations and price data for the 19th and early 20th Century. By reviewing examples from existing literature, we illustrate the practical applications of these sources. We also launch a new stock index derived from the daily prices of 39 banks listed on the Berlin Stock Exchange, demonstrating the potential of price data for market analysis.

German Charity and Mutual Aid Societies in St. Petersburg (late 18th ‒ early 20th centuries)

The study of charity in the Russian Empire has an extensive historiography. The specifics of its implementation in various ethnic groups are often beyond the scope of the study. The purpose of this research is to identify German charitable organizations that have become the elements of the civil society that has been formed in the capital. New forms of unification of citizens and colonists became one of the manifestations of modernization, which was later adopted by other groups of metropolitan residents. The basis of this research is made up of various types of published and archival sources, some of which are being introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. German charitable organizations have existed in St. Petersburg since the 1770s. Initially, they arose at parish churches and had religious orientation. Since the 1860s, German artisans and colonists initiated creation of funeral registers, which have been widely distributed throughout Russia since the 1880s. Being independent of the state, charitable organizations and mutual aid societies became an important indicator of the modernization of Russian society in the 19th and early 20th century. The article is intended for specialists and anyone interested in the social history and history of Russian Germans.

Two One-Armed Wooden Anchors from Egypt from the 5th–4th Centuries BC and their Ceramic Contexts

Two One-Armed Wooden Anchors from Egypt from the 5th–4th Centuries BC and their Ceramic Contexts

Climate, Disease, and Upheaval in the Turkic World in the 14th-15th Centuries

This paper examines the role of climate and disease as a major factor resulting in disruption and upheaval in the Turkic world in the 14th-15th centuries. The first issue the paper addresses is the beginning of the climatic downturn in circa 1280, which will ultimately culminate in the Little Ice Age of the late 15th-18th centuries. The paper cites recent work on the role of climate in the history of Iran. While the author has explored this issue in detail for the history of the Golden Horde, the impact of climate change on Iran in the 14th-15th centuries is a topic which has yet to be investigated adequately by historians. More importantly, climate change is associated with the spread of the Black Death, both in the original point of its spread and especially in the lower Volga River delta. The paper addresses the role of the Black Death (1346- ) as a disruptive factor in the history of the Golden Horde and the Chağatay Khanate. Citing recent research, it also considers legacy of the Black Death in the political, socio-economic, and cultural history of the Il-Khanate and what it meant for the rise of the Aqqoyunlu state. In the Golden Horde, Central Asia, and the Ottoman Empire, the Black Death led to a decline or disappearance in the earlier Islamic Turkic literary language. The earlier archair literary language was replaced by a newer literary language closer to the vernacular or spoken language of the people. There is also evidence of cultural responses to plague written in the new language.