The Image of Crimean Tatar Women in the Travel Notes of Russian and European Travelers in the Late 18th and 19th centuries

The article investigates the perception of Crimean Tatar women by Russian and European travelers in the late 18th and 19th centuries. The study is based on their travelogues which contained descriptions of the Crimean Peninsula of the specified chronological period. The travelogues are characterized by the subjectivity of descriptions, absence of clear structure, and irregular presentation of data. In the course of the study, it was determined that the life of Crimean Tatar women was not the subject of separate examination. It was mainly perceived as an exotic element of a trip. Typically, the attention of travelers was drawn to traditional attire, appearance, makeup, and adornments. In the meanwhile, foreigners also highlighted specific aspects of the daily life of Crimean Tatar women, including wedding and marital traditions, educational levels, religious constraints, and so forth. In the course of the research, it was also established that, given the predominance of male travelers, their perspective on Crimean Tatar women and their place in society had a biased nature. Moreover, the descriptions created by Europeans and Russians tend to differ from one another. The former were interested in the cultural and civilizational aspects, whereas the latter projected their personal experience and perspective upon the analysis of the Crimean Tatar women's lives. A significant impact on some of the travelogue authors was exerted by ideological constructs that the empire formulated over time, dehumanizing the Tatars and creating an image of the enemy.