Russian circumnavigations of the world and collections of the Kunstkamera

The first Russian overseas expedition was organized by the Russian government with the purpose of delivering supplies and materials to the Russian America for the Russian-American Company, development of Russian trade and navigation in the Northwest area of the Pacific Ocean. In addition to exploratory goals, the expedition was meant to establish diplomatic relations with Japan. N.P. Rezanov was appointed the Authorized Representative of the Russian-American Company in the colonies and the head of the mission to Japan. Two ships, Neva and Nadezhda, under command of A.J. Krusenstern and Yu. F. Lisyansky took part in the 1803-1806 voyage. Besides economic and political tasks, the expedition was carrying out vast scientific studies, gathered botanic and zoological, entomological, mineralogical, ethnographical collections which came to the collection of the Kunstkamera of the Academy of Sciences.

The second Russian circumnavigation (1819 – 1821), in the course of which the Antarctic Continent was discovered, was captained by Fabian Gottlieb Thaddeus von Bellingshausen The voyage was going on the Vostok and Mirny sloops. The expedition had also received Academy’s instructions for the conduct of scientific research in the places of their navigation.

Captain Otto von Kotzebue became commander of the third Russian circumnavigation (1823-1826) committed on the Predpriyatie ship; it resulted with discovery of numerous islands in the Pacific Ocean.

A part of the collections from these journeys was immediately transferred to the Kunstkamera. At the same time, on April 4, 1805, by an order of Alexander I, a museum was established at the State Admiralty Department. Participants of the circumnavigations were donating collections from the Russian America, Australia, archipelagoes of the Pacific and Indian Oceans to it. The Museum of the Admiralty Department received collections from navigators: Yu. F. Lisyansky, S.G. Scott, F.F. Bellingshausen, F.F. Wrangell, A.J. Krusenstern, V.M. Golovnin, M.P. Lazarev, S.P. Khrushchev, L.A. Hagenmeister, M.M. Muraviev. In 1827, by Nickolas I’s order, the Museum of the Admiralty Department was dissolved and its collections transferred to the Kunstkamera.

Figure of a female ancestor. Alaska, the Kodiak Island. The Eskimo. Early 19^th c. Walrus ivory, glass beads, seal sinew

Bowl vessel in the form of a merganser. Alaska. The Chugach. 19^th c. Wood, paint

Mask of the Sun-ghost. Alaska, the Admiralty Island. The Tlingit. Early 19^th c. Wood, paint

Totem arms of the bear family. Alaska. The Tlingit. Late 18^th - early 19^th c. Wood, paint, shell of mercenaria fluvial, bear tooth

Shaman mask. Alaska, the Alexander Archipelago. The Tlingit. Early 19^th c. Wood, paint, leather, copper

Model of one-hatch canoe with the figure of a hunter and munitions. Alaska, the Aleutian Islands. The Aleutians. Early 19^th c. Wood, glass beads, walrus tusk, seal skin, seal’s viscera, whale fin

Combat helmet in the form of a bear’s head. Alaska, the Alexander Archipelago. The Tlingit. Early 19^th c. Wood, seal skin, operculum shells, paint

Hat-peak. Alaska, the Unalaska Island. The Aleutians. Wood, paint, walrus ivory, sea line vibrissa, glass beads, sinew, hair

Spoon. Micronesia, the Caroline Islands. Micronesians. Early 19^th c. Clamshell

Signal shell. Micronesia, the Caroline Islands. Micronesians. Early 19^th c. Charonia tritonis mollusk shell

War club. Polynesia, the Marquesas Islands. Marquesas. Early 19^th c. Wood

Tapa ornamented by leaf prints. Polynesia, the Tahiti Island. Tahitians. Early 19^th c.

Necklace. Polynesia, the Marquesas Islands. Marquesas. Early 19^th c. Razors, vegetable tissue