National Anthropological Archives

Imperial Russian Geographical Society photographs of Central Tibet, circa 1900

Summary

Collection ID:
NAA.PhotoLot.76-122
Creators:
Russkoe geograficheskoe obshchestvo
Dates:
circa 1900
Languages:
Undetermined
.
Physical Description:
50 Platinum prints
mounted
Repository:

Scope and Contents note

Scope and Contents note
Photographs documenting Tibetan monasteries, Potala Palace, Tibetan women, cities, and scenery in Central Tibet, including the region's capital, Lhasa. Prints are in a boxed set issued by the Imperial Russian Geographical Society (Russkoe geograficheskoe obshchestvo).

Biographical/Historical note

Biographical/Historical note
G. Ts. Tsybikov was a Russian-educated Buriat scholar and a Buddhist who made a pilgrimage to Lhasa in 1899-1902. He documented his pilgrimage in photographs and made extensive notes on Tibetan society and politics. In May 1903, he presented his photographs and report to the Geographical Society, which won him the society's Przhevalskii prize. Ovshe M. Norzunov was a Mongolian Kalmuk who also traveled to Tibet as a Buddhist pilgrim, in 1989, 1900, and 1901. Because of their Mongolian heritage, Tsybikov and Norzunov were able to enter Lhasa at a time when Western visitors were barred from the city. Their photographs, published in the January 1905 issue of National Geographic, are noted for having created the magazine's "hallmark" photographic focus.

Administration

Author
Sarah Ganderup
Custodial History note
The photographs were donated to the Smithsonian Libraries circa 1904, possibly by the Imperial Russian Geographical Society. They were transferred to the National Anthropological Archives in 1976.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access note
The collection is open for research.
Access to the collection requires an appointment.
Conditions Governing Use note
Contact the repository for terms of use.
Preferred Citation note
Photo lot 76-122, Imperial Russian Geographical Society photographs of Central Tibet, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution

Location of Other Archival Materials

Location of Other Archival Materials
Digital surrogates of a similar set of photographs are held by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries.

More Information

Local Call Number(s)

Local Call Number(s)
NAA Photo Lot 76-122

Other Finding Aids note

Other Finding Aids note
Inventory available in repository


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Buddhists Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Tibetans Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Buddhist pilgrims and pilgrimages Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Buddhist monasteries Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Lhasa (China) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Tibet (China) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Norzunov, Ovshe M. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
T︠S︡ybikov, G. T︠S︡. (Gonbochzhab T︠S︡ėbekovich), 1873-1930 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

National Anthropological Archives
Museum Support Center
4210 Silver Hill Road
Suitland, Maryland 20746
naa@si.edu