«...Положить правильное основание разбору важнейших архивов Кавказского наместничества» (Проект создания Кавказской археографической комиссии А. П. Николаи, 1864 г.)

Ориенталистика. 2026. Т. 9. № 2. С. 305–317.

Манышев С. Б.

The article introduces the project for establishing the Caucasian Archaeo- graphic Commission in Ti^lis in 1864, following the suggestion of Baron Alexander P. Nikolai (1829-1899). The document addresses the problems of preservation, systematisation, and scholarly study of the archival materials of the Caucasian Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It analyses the experience of archaeographic commissions operating in other regions of the country and emphasises their importance for the development of scholarship and the improvement of state administration. It is noted that despite its administrative and political signi^icance, the Caucasus long remained insuf^iciently studied due to the lack of published sources. The project examines the history of the formation of the archive of the Chief Administration of the Caucasian Viceroy, its structure, scope and changes in the system of record-keeping with the effect from the beginning of the nineteenth century. The project deals with the main stages of the development of the archive, various attempts connected to its organisation, and the subsequent selection of archival ^iles and items for permanent preservation. The article stresses the high scholarly value of the archival documents, as they re^lect the process of the formation of civil administration and the gradual incorporation of Caucasian territories into the Russian Empire. The article substantiates the necessity of establishing a special archaeographic commission for the examination, preservation, and publication of archival materials, as well as for preparing a comprehensive study on the history of the administration of the Caucasus.

Keywords: Кавказ, археография, архивное дело, Тифлис

Publication based on the results of: War and Post-War Peace in the Russian Empire and the USSR (2025)