Set in the Aleutian Archipelago, this work highlights the rich cultural crossroads of the North Pacific, focusing on the Aleut people. Waldemar Jochelson's research from 1909 to 1910 encompasses ethnological, archaeological, and linguistic studies, providing valuable insights into the region's heritage and the lives of its inhabitants. His findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the Aleut culture and the broader historical context of the area.
The book offers groundbreaking anthropological insights into northeastern Siberia, stemming from the early 20th-century Jesup North Pacific Expedition. Jochelson's research, based on his fieldwork, serves as a pivotal reference for both Russian and North American anthropology. It significantly enhances the understanding of the region's diverse cultures, making it an essential resource for scholars and enthusiasts alike.
The book presents groundbreaking anthropological insights from the Jesup North Pacific Expedition in the early 20th century, focusing on the Yukaghir and Yukaghirized Tungus peoples. Jochelson's extensive fieldwork offers a significant milestone in both Russian and North American anthropology, enhancing the understanding of northeastern Siberia's cultures. His research remains a vital resource for comprehending the complexities of these indigenous societies and their historical context.
Since the 18th century, researchers and scientists have traveled the peninsula of Kamchatka in the Russian Far East. Many of them were of German origin and had been commissioned by the Russian government to perform specific tasks. Their exhaustive descriptions and detailed reports are still considered some of the most valuable documents on the ethnography of the indigenous peoples of that part of the world. These works inform us about living conditions and particular ways of natural resource use at various times, and provide us with valuable background information for current assessment. As the first profound anthropological descriptions of that region, the publications of the Jesup North Pacific Expedition, undertaken in the first years of the 20th century, marked the beginning of a new era of research in Russia. They represented a shift of the already existing transnational research networks toward North America. Jochelson’s work The Koryak was an important milestone for Russian and North American anthropology that provides to this day a unique contribution to thoroughly understanding the cultures of the North Pacific rim.
