V.D. Smirnov – researcher of the Crimean archives

During a business trip to the Crimea in 1886, V.D. Smirnov studied the composition of the Simferopol archives. The trip of the orientalist was initiated by the St. Petersburg Archaeological Institute. In connection with the request of local scientists about the opening of the provincial scientific archival commission on the peninsula, the director of the Archaeological Institute I.E. Andreevsky appealed to the famous orientalist in the capital V.D. Smirnov with a request to conduct an expert assessment of the available documents in Taurida. The purpose of the study was to conclude on the expediency of opening a local academic archival commission. Extensive excerpts from V.D. Smirnov’s manuscript are provided, compiled based on the results of the trip. The document provides an overview of the composition of the Crimean archives and the value of the deposited archival papers.