Marking the Year of the Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of Russia: The Astrakhan Museum-Reserve to create an exhibition “Islam in the History of the Lower Volga Region”

The Astrakhan Museum-Reserve is planning to organize an exposition and exhibition project Islam in the History of the Lower Volga Region, timed to coincide with the 1100th anniversary since the adoption of Islam by the peoples of Russia and the Year of the Folk Art and Intangible Culture Heritage of the Peoples of Russia.

The project aims to introduce visitors of the museum to the complex of artifacts associated with the regional Islamic tradition.

In the VIII-X centuries, Islam appeared on the territory of the Lower Volga Region. Its spread took place in the years of the Golden Horde (XIII-XV c.). After the accession of the Astrakhan Khanate to Russia (1556) and the foundation of Russian Astrakhan on the left bank of the Volga (1558), Islam became a traditional religion of the local population (yurt tatars) and the representatives of trade companies of Middle Asia and Persia.

By the early XX century, Muslim population of the governorate was over 30% of the total number of residents.

Astrakhan Islam has its specifics due to the variety of colors of religious tradition, ethnic diversity of adherents of Islam. Here, orthodox and canonical Islam, its public understanding, cults of holy places – auliya, elements of baksylyk – nomadic shamanism, semi-pagan rituals are intertwined.

The collections of the museum-reserve contain memorial plates, architectural panels, fragments of terracotta and tableware of the XIII-XIV centuries, bracelets, amulets, panels, kumgans with sayings from the Quran, prayer beads, photographs of Astrakhan mosques and Muslims, books in Arabic language: Ascents of Prophecy (1830), A Treasure of Subtleties. The Code of Muslim Law in Arabic (1721), Commentary on the grammar textbook in Arabic (1903), Commentary on the treatise on the Muslim Law (1844), and others.

Within the exposition and exhibition project Islam in the History of the Lower Volga Region, it is planned to showcase objects from the collections at a temporary exhibition, to create its virtual version that will be available on the museum’s website, and to prepare a mobile exposition complex for temporary exhibitions in the branches of the Astrakhan Museum-Reserve and in partner institutions.

During the work on the project, manuscripts and rare publications from the collection of Rare Book of the museum-reserve in Arabic, Persian, Turkic of the XVI – early XX century with annotations and descriptions by orientalist-historian, professor of RAN Ilya Zaytsev will be introduced into scientific circulation for the first time.

The presentation of the exposition and exhibition project Islam in the History of the Lower Volga Region is set to take place in October, 2022.