The Scientific and Organizational Activities of the Russian Committee for the Study of Central and Eastern Asia, 1910–1915: German Expeditions and the Expeditions of Sergey Malov

One of the most significant components of the archival collection of the Russian Committee for the Study of Central and Eastern Asia (F. 148; hereinafter referred to as the Russian Committee), housed in the St Petersburg Branch of the Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SPbF ARAN), consists of documents that illuminate the academic policies of late imperial Russia on an international scale. The cooperation and conflicts between Russian researchers in north-western China and their German counterparts represent an important chapter in the history of early twentieth-century scholarly exploration. The archival materials from the Russian Committee’s collection at SPbF ARAN provide substantial new insights that complement previously available data from the Sergey Oldenburg's fund. Additionally, these documents significantly enhance our understanding of the scholarly work conducted in East Turkestan by the renowned linguist, ethnographer, and Turkologist Sergey Malov. The collection also preserves records of other researchers whose contributions have shaped the study of the ancient and medieval history of East Turkestan. The publication of these materials will offer valuable perspectives on the history of East Turkestan’s exploration, the academic policies of the Russian Empire, and the evolution of international relations in Central Asia and the Far East in the early twentieth century.