Book culture: The town of Kargopol holds 17th All-Russian conference on the study and publication of scribe’s books and other mass sources of 16th-19th cc.

July 7-9, 2011 Kargopol Museum jointly with St. Petersburg Institute of History of the Russian Academy of Science, St. Petersburg branch of Archaeographic Commission, Vologda State Pedagogical University is holding 17th All-Russian Conference on study and publication of scribe’s books and other mass sources of 16th-19th cc.

Scribe’s books (cadastral surveys) were land inventories, which were used in Rus’ between 14th c. and 17th c. Books were compiled by Moscow scribes, who were sent to the lands. The word “scribe” gave the name to such books. These books were registers of property made for the purpose of taxation. As they changed, the books became known as censuses. They were compiled according to populated areas: town (its fortifications, churches, shops, yards, population etc.), uyezd (district), volost (small rural district in old Russia). Each village was described. Detailed description accompanied arable lands, grasslands and forest areas. Scribe’s books are the most valuable sources of socio-economic history of Russia. Such documents are stored in archives. Some materials have been published. A significant set of written sources concerning Kargopol district has survived and some of them have been published.

The conference will address two aspects of mass sources study: study of written sources and problems of their publication, and using them as sources of history and culture of Russia. Reports will feature information on scribe’s books of Novgorod land, reconstruction of Vologda fortress, disappeared towns and districts of the Russian North etc. The conference will present a new edition which includes receipt and expenses books of Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery between 1601 and 1637.

The conference will attract scholars from St. Petersburg, Moscow, Vologda, Petrozavodsk, Novgorod, Samara.