CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE PEOPLES OF CENTRAL ASIA IN THE ST. PETERSBURG’S MUSEUM

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of ethnographic collections related to the peoples of Central Asia, preserved at the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera) in Saint Petersburg. It examines the formation of the museum’s holdings in the 18th–20th centuries, the results of early expeditions, the activities of leading scholars and researchers in collecting the collections, as well as the scientific and cultural value of the museum objects. In addition, the significance of the collection items, their documentation, and illustrative chronological analysis are evaluated in the context of museum and ethnological research. The article demonstrates that the museum’s collections serve as an important source for studying and preserving the cultural heritage of Central Asian peoples.