[EARLY RUSSIAN GUIDE TO THE NORTH AMERICAN NATIVES / THE DEPARTMENT OF AMERICA OF THE NAUK] Отдел северной Америки / Otdel severnoj Ameriki [i.e., North American division]

[RATHNER-] SHTERNBERG, S[ARRA] A. (1870-1942).

Akademiya NAUK Putevoditel’ Po Muzeyu Antropologii i Etnografii, Izdatelstvo Akademiya NAUK SSR, Leningrad, 1929.

Original wrappers. Cr. 8vo. (20 x 14 cm). In Russian. [2], 102, [2] p., b/w ills. in
text, viii numbered plates and one folded map (unfolded size 31,5x28,5 cm), of an 
ethnographic map of North America. The spine shows wear, with some stains on the front 
cover, and age-toned margins on the pages. Overall, a good copy.

The first and only edition of this rare guide to the collection of North American ethnography in the American Department of the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (MAE) of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Although the work began under the direction of Professor Leo Shternberg (1861–1927) in 1912, coinciding with his founding of the American Department, it was completed posthumously by his assistant 
and widow, Sarra Shternberg. This guide represents a significant contribution to the 
field of American ethnographic studies in Russia.

The guide opens with a concise overview of North America, exploring topics such as 
the origins of the aborigines, their languages, culture, economy, clothing, weapons, 
religion, ceremonies, secret societies, sacrifices, tattoos, social structures, games, 
and calendars. The introduction also presents a classification of North American 
aborigines into nine groups, with the museum’s collection most comprehensively 
representing the north-west indigenous people (Tlingits), the aborigines of Central 
California, the Aleut people, and the Eskimos.

The guide consists of twelve sections, each primarily devoted to a specific group of 
indigenous people. These include the Subarctic Canadian Native Americans, Native 
Americans of the Pacific Northwest, Natives of California and Oregon, South-West and 
South-East Native Americans, Plains Indians, Forest Indians, Western and Central 
Eskimos, Greenland Eskimos, Polar Eskimos, and the Aleuts. Each section provides detailed descriptions of the objects associated with these groups and their placement within the museum’s exhibits, offering valuable insights into the cultural heritage and material history of these indigenous peoples. 

The book’s illustrations vividly portray various Native Americans and their communities, providing a visual complement to the textual descriptions. Additionally, the ethnographic map, meticulously drawn and published by the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (MAE), offers invaluable insights into the cultural areas and boundaries of Native American groups, stretching from the northernmost regions to the southern territories. This map serves as a significant resource for the geographic and cultural diversity of indigenous peoples across North America.

The Department of America at the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (MAE) of the Russian Academy of Sciences (NAUK) was established in 1912 by Leo Shternberg. Its collection of artifacts related to Native Americans began in the first half of the 18th century, but the most significant additions occurred in the latter half, accompanying Russian exploration and colonization of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. In 1919, the museum expanded its focus with the creation of a new Department of Central and South America, led by V. G. Bogoraz.

Throughout the 1930s, the structure of the departments underwent multiple reorganizations, being renamed as “groups,” “offices,” or “sections,” and experiencing 
various mergers and separations. Notable researchers such as N. G. Shprintsin, E. 
V. Zibert, Yu. P. Averkieva, and E. E. Blomkvist contributed to the study of American 
ethnography during this period.

In 1942, during the Siege of Leningrad, the Department of America was closed as 
museum employees were evacuated. After the end of the Great Patriotic War, the 
museum restructured and established the America, Australia, and Oceania sectors. 
The primary focus of this new sector was the restoration of exhibits damaged or displaced during the war. (Sources: OCLC, Kustkamera online).

As of December, two copies can be found in OCLC (1110655060).