1890 Map of the Regions of Precious Metals in Imperial Russia

1890 Map of the Regions of Precious Metals in Imperial Russia

Precious Metals Industry during the Cholera Epidemic of 1892 in Russia

In 1890, Jlyne created this visual representation of the production of precious metals across the landscape of the Russian Empire. The map is centered on the Siberian territory with a clear landscape view starting from Warsaw in the far west stretching all the way to the coastline of Vladivostok in the far east. How the vantage point was stretched out in the making of this map reveals the message that mining for precious metals was a far reaching industry that touched most parts of the empire in some form or fashion. The legend at the bottom left tells the observer where they can find gold mines, gold production centers, silver production centers, and platinum production centers.

Although the source doesn't acknowledge the map's origins, it is likely that it may have been connected to the Gokhran of Russia, which has served as Russia's state treasury and ministry of finance since its formation in 1719. The map reveals that towns like Ekaterinburg, Tomsk, Yeniseisk, Udsk, and others were some of the greatest contributors to Imperial Russia's precious metal industry. The differing marks of the gold mines also cause the observer to consider how the mining sites may have differed depending on the landscape which consequently might have affected the work experience of displaced serfs in 1890.

The railways between the mines that stretched across the landscape show how the towns were connected and how workers could travel from one site to the next. When considering the period of time that this map was published, it's important to acknowledge that just two years later the Cholera Epidemic of 1892 broke out on the Persian border near the Caspian Sea. These railway systems and industry hubs might have contributed to the spread of the disease and impacted the protocols that guided mining production.

Jlyne, A.

Library of Congress

1890

1 map : col. ; 30 x 51 cm.

English

Map