Home – Home – Jornals – Humanitarian sciences in Siberia 2020 number

The study objective encompasses two components: to determine an initial location of Ubinsky Pas (outpost) and reconstruct its fortifications including planning of the fortress’ internal space. The research source base is represented by the travel diary of I. G. Gmelin who visited the outpost in June 1741 on his way from Tomsk to Tara. The article includes an author’s translation of the itinerary text related to Ubinsky Pas as this work has not been published in Russian. The researchers have repeatedly referred to I. G. Gmelin’s itinerary as an information source to determine its location, layout of fortifications and plan of the fortress yard. However, the location determination was limited to general indications, which considerably distorted the source data. The same is true for characteristics of the fortress wall structure and buildings in the outpost territory. Ubinsky Pas’ location was determined by searching for landmarks specified in the itinerary, on modern maps and ensuring alignment thereof. The fortifications were reconstructed in strict accordance with the source text by interpreting it through the lens of modern historical and archeological data on homogeneous objects located in Siberia and the Far East. The reconstruction of the fortification inner yard plan was carried on based on I. G. Gmelin’s description, by reconciliation of the object’s planigraphic dimensions and garrison’s size. The study showed that Ubinsky Pas used to be located (till its translocation in 1746) on the Menshikov Isle, in the moorland, at south-western margin of the Ubinskoe Lake, two kilometers south of Kreshchensky town. The exact location can be determined only during archeological exploration. The author made graphical reconstruction of the outpost’s fortifications and its plan.