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This article aims to: (1) explain the ethical politics and the origins of the Kweekschool establishment policy; (2) analyze the educational system and programs offered at Kweekschool; (3) examine the influence of Kweekschool on the social transformation of the native (bumiputra) community. This study employs a historical research method. The findings indicate that: (1) The ethical politics, formalized by Queen Wilhelmina in 1901, led to the implementation of the Kweekschoolplan in 1927, which facilitated the establishment of Kweekschool as a response to the need for local teachers; (2) Kweekschool offered various educational programs aimed at training different categories of teachers, including those for rural schools and for Vervolg schools; (3) The ethical politics contributed to a social transformation within the bumiputra community, as Kweekschool graduates, who formed the educated elite, played a significant role in the emergence of nationalist movements that contributed to Indonesia's struggle for independence.

This article, using historical and ethnographic methods, explores the maritime cultural ecology of the Biak people in Sowek Village, Supiori Regency, Papua, Indonesia. Historically part of the Biak-Numfor and Supiori islands, Supiori became a separate district in 2003 under Law No. 35 of 2003. The Biak people in Sowek Village, who identify as the Sowek people, have lived in the Aruri Archipelago of Supiori Island for centuries. While their language and culture are part of the Biak-Numfor cultural family, their identity is rooted in their specific geographic location. Supiori Regency is predominantly oceanic and covered by mangrove forests, with only 25% of its land being dry. This landscape has shaped the Sowek people's reliance on marine resources and maritime trade. Contact with the outside world began long ago, facilitated by maritime trade and headhunting expeditions to Maluku, Ternate-Tidore, and the Raja Ampat Archipelago. The Sowek people navigate these waters using traditional boats such as the Wairon, Waimansusu, and Karures, guided by advanced astronomical knowledge of constellations like Orion (sawakoi) and Scorpion (romanggwandi). The maritime cultural ecology of the Biak people in Sowek Village, still preserved as a historical heritage, includes traditional fishing with nets, the cultivation of mangosteen (aibon), blacksmithing (kamasan), and the ecological conservation of mangrove forests, which serve as both fish habitats and natural fortifications for the village.

The Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) was a significant event in the early 20th century that saw the two nations clash on various battlefields, both on land and at sea. This article aims to analyze the naval combat strategies employed during the Russo-Japanese War, with the objective of providing relevant insights for the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL). The primary focus of this analysis is the effectiveness of strategies such as naval blockades, visionary leadership, and the optimization of fleets and logistics, factors that are highly relevant for strengthening Indonesia’s maritime defense as an archipelagic nation. This article is based on a historical research approach, utilizing a variety of sources, including archives, books, magazines, journal articles, and other documents that contain pertinent information on the topic. The analysis reveals that six naval battles took place during the Russo-Japanese War, with Japan emerging victorious in five of them. In these battles, Japan implemented an aggressive naval blockade strategy, supported by effective leadership, a superior fleet and armament, as well as a well-organized logistics system. Based on these findings, the researcher recommends that the TNI AL develop a naval combat operation plan tailored to Indonesia’s specific maritime conditions, in order to strengthen its deterrent capabilities and national maritime defense.

This study examines the role of the village headman in overseeing village credit institutions (Village Banks) during the colonial era in Indonesia. Using a historical approach, it investigates the financial duties of the headman and the advantages he derived from these institutions. Village Banks, established by the colonial government, were community-based credit systems designed to meet specific economic needs in rural areas. The paper focuses on the headman’s administrative role within the Village Bank framework, analyzing his interactions with the institution and his significant influence over village finances. It argues that the involvement of local elites, particularly the headman, was crucial to the establishment, operation, and success of Village Banks. The patron-client relationships inherent in rural society also played a key role in facilitating the functioning of these credit institutions. However, this system had its drawbacks, as the headman and other elites often exploited it for personal gain, hindering the full development of Village Banks. In this context, effective bureaucratic oversight became essential to ensure the progress and proper functioning of the Village Banks.

Introduction. 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Economic Council of Mongolia, the formation of which as part of the Ministry of Finance was adopted at a meeting of the People’s Government on November 18, 1924. In fact, its activities began on February 3, 1925. The main purpose of its creation was to coordinate the activities of economic bodies, develop and plan economic and financial policies and prospects for the economic development of the country. The Economic Council of Mongolia functioned until 1932, during the period of the organization’s activity four heads were replaced. In July 1932, at the 17th extraordinary meeting of the Small Khural, the Economic Council was reorganized into the State Department of Planning and State Accounting under the Council of Ministers of the country. Soviet specialists were also involved in the work at the Economic Council — E. A. Stulov (as an adviser), A. D. Simukov, etc. The purpose of the article is a preliminary overview of the activities of the Economic Council, highlighting the main forms of its work. The article uses materials from the State National Archive of Mongolia, published scientific literature. Conclusions. The main purpose of the creation of the Economic Council was to coordinate the activities of economic bodies, develop and plan economic and financial policies and prospects for the economic development of the country. Viewed from this point of view, the council, which functioned for only eight years (1924–1932), only partially fulfilled its main tasks. However, it is not yet possible to fully judge the activities of the main economic institution at that time due to the insufficiency of documents from the Mongolian and Russian archives. Soviet specialists, Advisor E. A. Stulov, employees of the Scientific Committee of Mongolia and the Economic Council, in particular its head G. Nanzad, played a major role in the work of the Economic Council.

Introduction. In September 1959, a landmark event for Mongolian science — the First International Congress of Mongolologists Philologists — took place in Ulaanbaatar. Its aim was to promote Mongolian Studies and strengthen contacts between scholars. The forum brought together researchers from a number of countries, including those having been separated by the Cold War Iron Curtain. Purpose. The article is to examine the Congress preparation and holding, focusing on previously untouched its ideological contexts. The article is based on the materials from the Russian Academy of Sciences Archives and publications of Congress participants from the USSR, the UK and the USA. Result and conclusions. The study showed that it was important for the Congress organizers that political and ideological disagreements between representatives of different countries did not arise during its work. Mongolian scholars discussed their probability in 1958 with Yu. Roerich during his business trip to Ulaanbaatar. When forming the list of participants in the Congress, the Mongolian Committee of Science took into account the political views of scientists and consulted with the USSR Academy of Sciences on this issue. In addition, at the beginning of the Congress, the delegations of the USSR, Mongolia and China agreed not to enter into discussions among themselves in order to demonstrate the unity of friendly countries. The author concludes that the Congress in Ulaanbaatar was one of the first scientific events of Mongolian Studies during the Cold War period with a broad international representation of scholars from countries belonging to the opposing political blocs. Despite the organizers’ concerns, the Congress demonstrated the leadership of scientific internationalism. Several cases of «political-tinget» disagreements did not come to the forefront of its proceedings. The Congress also demonstrated a significant expansion of international contacts of the Committee of Science and at the time the weakening of Soviet-Mongolian scientific links.

Introduction. The article deals with the problem of the influence of the migration of Kalmyks from Russia to China on the Kalmyk population of Orenburg province in 1771, which is not affected in historiography. The sources for the study were the materials of the fund No. 3 “Orenburg Provincial Chancellery” of the United State Archive of the Orenburg region. Along with the documents containing the orders of the Orenburg governor I.A. Reinsdorp and various reports addressed to him, they contain the testimony of Kalmyks who were interrogated in the office of the Yaik Cossack army. Most archival documents are being introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The restoration of the outline of the events under consideration through the use of archival materials required the use of special methods of historical research: critical analysis of historical sources, historical continuity, as well as historical-comparative and historical-legal methods that allow tracing common and distinct features in the legal situation of Kalmyk villagers in Orenburg province. Results. Kalmyks-Cossacks of the Yaik army turned out to be directly involved in the process of Kalmyk migration. They were related to the subjects of the governor of the Kalmyk Khanate by kinship and confessional ties. Under the influence of agitation, coercion, or out of fear of parting with their family, some of the Yaik Kalmyks joined the migration provoked by the Kalmyk nobility. However, among the Yaik Kalmyks there were those who not only did not want to leave Russia, but also helped to pursue the fugitives. The efforts of the Russian administration to limit contacts between Orenburg and Stavropol baptized Kalmyks did not allow them to be involved in the migration flow. Moreover, the Stavropol Kalmyk army was replenished by a group of Kalmyks who refused to escape and expressed a desire to become Orthodox Christians.

Introduction. This article analyzes the subregional system “Russia –Mongolia – China”, the nature of a number of its internal processes and the features of the contextual conditions that determine it. The study is focused on determining the current conditions of its functioning and development in the transport and infrastructure sector, as well as the features of its internal intercivilizational dialogue. The main objective was to study the key conditions and factors of an economic and civilizational nature for a deeper and multidimensional understanding of the specifics of this subregional system. An equally important objective of this study is to attempt to formulate a model of incorporation of such different dimensions and planes as civilizational interactions and partnership in the field of transport infrastructure into the development of subregional issues in the research discourse. Materials and methods. The work involved monographs and analytical articles by domestic and Mongolian specialists and experts, transcripts of official negotiations at the highest level, statistical data, and media materials. A systems approach was used to the subject of the study, which was presented as a subregional system, and its research synthesis was carried out with a civilizational approach, which determined the allocation of the civilizational level as one of the dimensions of this system. Based on the results of the study, the following results were achieved. Firstly, the current state of the subregional discussion regarding the implementation of promising trilateral transport and infrastructure projects was determined, the main risks and opportunities were weighed. Secondly, the article characterizes the civilizational environment of international relations in the subregion, highlights the main vectors of its influence on the processes currently taking place between Russia, Mongolia and China in the field of international trade, transport and infrastructure construction. A conclusion is made about the positive influence of the features of the inter-civilizational dialogue in the “triangle” on the promotion of significant subregional initiatives.

Introduction. Researchers have little studied some aspects of the requisition of Buryats for military rear work during the First World War. The question of conscription of students of Buddhist theological schools is a complex one. The aim of the study is to conduct an archival study of the details of the requisition process and the position of the Buddhist clergy of Eastern Siberia in relation to the mobilization of students. The authors solved the following problems: 1) analyze statistical data on conscript students and monks in the lists of datsans and local volosts; 2) monitor the interaction of the Buddhist clergy with regional and central authorities on issues of requisition; 3) determine the categories of students and monastics who have been released from military rear work; 4) study the role of requisitioned representatives of the Buryat Buddhist Church in helping lama healers in the Arkhangelsk region. Conclusions: despite the petitions of the Buryat Buddhist hierarchy to exempt students of Buddhist theological schools from military rear work, they, together with monastics, numbering 1,600 people, were sent to the regions of Arkhangelsk and Belarus. In addition to military and rear work, they provided assistance to lama healers. Some students were exempt for medical reasons, as well as workers and employees of enterprises working for national defense. Individual khuvaraks studying in Mongolia and Tibet were also exempt from requisition.

Introduction. The article examines the history of the creation of the set of illustrations the Atlas of Tibetan Medicine (also known as Tibetan Medical Paintings) by Desi Sangye Gyatso (1653–1705) to his Vaiḍūrya sngon po, which is a drudrel (‘bru ‘grel) commentary on the rGyud bzhi. The question of the set’s creation has not been sufficiently studied in Russian oriental studies. In Tibetan medical historiography, the Vaiḍūrya sngon po in combination with the Atlas of Tibetan Medicine is considered to be the most authoritative commentary on the rGyud bzhi. The purpose of the article is to identify the main stages of the creating of the visual material of the Atlas of Tibetan Medicine and to give a general description of the illustrations. Materials and methods. The work is based on the study of the text and set of illustrations of the Atlas of Tibetan Medicine and information contained in Tibetan medical treatises, historical works, as well as specialized literature. Results. It was revealed that the process of creating the Atlas of Tibetan Medicine stretched over several years. Desi Sangye Gyatso began illustrating the Vaiḍūrya sngon po in 1687 and completed it in 1702. Desi Sangye Gyatso uses the word tricha (bris cha) or ngönme-tricha (sngon med kyi bris cha ‘an illustration that did not exist in the past’) to denote an “illustration.” The main source for the compilation of the Atlas of Tibetan Medicine was pictorial material, consisting of two groups: traditional medical illustrations and new, specially created paintings. The first group includes illustrations borrowed from previously existing texts of the genres of dondem (sdong ‘grems ‘unfolded tree’), rodra (ro bkra, yul thig ‘anatomy’), and dungpe (‘khrungs dpe ‘Materia medica’). The second group consists of new composition of Buddhist and religious-mythological content, as well as numerous images of people in everyday life, created specifically for the illustrating the Vaiḍūrya sngon po. The creation of the Atlas of Tibetan Medicine led to the unification of the disparate paintings accumulated by the 17th century in various medical schools of Tibet. The pictorial material and thematic range of the Atlas of Tibetan Medicine are not limited to medical sphere; its artistic and aesthetic aspects require further study.

Introduction. The article is devoted to the Red Army soldiers from Kalmykia who died, went missing, died and/or were awarded in the battles for the defense of Belarus in 1941 and its liberation in 1943–1944, as well as historical and statistical research of their collective portrait. Materials and methods. When writing the article, a complex of various general scientific and special methods was used, including historical-genetic, historical-comparative, historical-typological, historical-systemic, and statistical methods. The materials for the work were the office documentation of the military units of the Red Army (stored in the electronic data banks Memorial, Feat of the People and Memory of the People), primarily reports on losses and award documents. Results. During the research, a database of Red Army servicemen from the Kalmyk ASSR who died, went missing, died of wounds and/or were awarded in the battles for Belarus in the summer of 1941 and in September 1943 – September 1944 was compiled on the basis of various sources. Following this, an analysis of their collective portrait was carried out in such categories as place and year of birth, place of conscription, time and place of death, place of service, time and number of awards. Conclusions. The analysis shows that the Red Army soldiers from Kalmykia actively participated in the battles for the defense of Belarus in the summer of 1941 and its liberation in 1943–1944. At the same time, the losses in the defensive battles of 1941 (among which the absolute majority are captured) exceed the losses in the offensive battles of 1943–1944. At the same time, an analysis of losses and awards in 1944 shows that the proportion of Kalmyks by the beginning of the strategic operation Bagration had noticeably decreased due to the mass removal of Kalmyks and their deportation to the Shiroklag or places of special settlements.

Introduction. In recent years, there have been publications in which letters of the Kalmyk khans and the highest nobility, including prints of their seals, have been published, which undoubtedly attracts the attention of researchers. These seals, as well as other seals, the impressions of which have been preserved on archival documents, are interesting as monuments of the political history of the Kalmyk people. Until recently, the fact of the existence of forged seals of the Kalmyk Khan Ayuka, his heir Chagdordzhab and the owner of Lubzha remained unknown. The purpose of the article is to introduce into scientific circulation sphragistic data on forgeries of seals of Ayuka, Chagdordzhab and Lubji. The material for the study was the business correspondence of Ayuka Khan, Chakdordzhab and the owner of the Puddle, dated the 18th century. Results. The study presents data on three forgeries of the seals of the representatives of the Kalmyk nobility. All three forgeries were apparently used for some reason due to the absence of the access to the original seal. And if the first fake clearly gives itself away with a different technique, then the second and third are like mirror images of the originals. All three forgeries of the seals were used by representatives of the highest nobility: the wives of Khan Ayuka and his heir Chagdordzhab, as well as the grandson of Dorzhi Nazarov (a pretender to the throne in the Kalmyk Khanate after the death of Khan Ayuka in 1724). The reason for the use of fakes is unclear, the most likely option is that there was no possibility of using the original seal.

Introduction. The article deals with the portrait of Manchu aristocrat heshuo Guo-qinwang Yunli (1697–1738) — the younger brother of Qing Yongzheng emperor and the uncle of Qianlong emperor. Purpose of the research is to find and study the pieces of weapons and equipment of the Central Asian style in the aforementioned portrait. Results. It is determined that the portrait of Yunli was painted by the famous European artist and missioner G. Castiglione in the summer of 1735, not long after the return of Yunli from the travel to Dalai Lama which took place in the winter-spring of the same year. The comprehensive analysis of the sources showed that the heshuo Guo-qinwang combines Qing clothing with parts of equipment of the Central Asian type. These items include a quiver of the so-called “Oirat type”, a saddle of the “Oirat type” (elete shi ma’an ), and possibly some other elements of horse equipment. It is possible that these items were donated to Yunli by representatives of the Oirat (Khoshut) or Tibetan nobility during his visit to the Dalai Lama in 1735. As the portrait has the exact date, it can be used for the attribution and dating of quivers and saddles of the Oirats and Tibetans, similar in design, which are kept in Russian and foreign museum and private collections. Conclusions. Materials of Qing iconography are currently not being actively used to study the Oirat cultural heritage. A comprehensive study of Qing pictorial sources can play an important role in the study of weapons, equipment, costume, military symbols and military affairs of the Oirats and their neighbors of the late 17th–18th centuries.

Introduction. The Pleiades star cluster (hereinafter referred to as a constellation) was of extreme importance in the lives of the nomads of Inner and Central Asia of all the astral objects visible in the night sky. The purpose of this article is to solve two problems, one of which is to study the distribution of the main names of the Pleiades in the Turkic and Mongolic languages, to identify the most complete set of their versions in different dialects, to clarify and supplement the etymology of the names. The other task is to identify and analyze the mythological images of the Pleiades known in the territory of settlement of the Turkic and Mongolic peoples. Materials and methods. The sources of the study were historical and ethnographic data published in the works of researchers — ethnographers, historians, linguists, folklore materials, as well as materials of the author’s field research. The work uses both general scientific research methods (analysis, analogy, etc.) and specific scientific (historical-comparative method) research. Results. Two names of the Pleiades are recorded, the Turkic ürker / ülker and the Mongolic mičid, the most relevant etymological hypotheses reflecting the origin of the Turkic and Mongolic names of the Pleiades are presented, a number of mythological images of the Pleiades revealed in the course of the study are proposed. Conclusions. Unique images of the Pleiades in the ideas of the Turkic-Mongolian peoples arose in the process of interaction of different languages ​​and cultures, understanding and interpretation of different versions of the names of the Pleiades, integration of disparate plot-forming elements in myths, fairy tales, legends.

Introduction. The article is devoted to the universal concept “homeland”, which occupies an important place in the world picture of the Kalmyks and determines a person’s worldview. Goals. The paper attempts an insight into the concept of homeland in the Kalmyk language. Tasks: a) to establish its conceptual content; b) to characterize its figurative and axiological components; c) to determine the postulates of behavior conditioned by this concept. Material: dictionary definitions of linguistic units representing the concept “motherland”. Research methods: methods of comparative, lexical-semantic and linguocultural analysis. Results. The analysis has shown that in the Kalmyk language there are various means of objectification of the concept “motherland”, which belong to the basic lexicon, etymologized on the Mongolian linguistic soil. Conclusions. The mental object «motherland» is associated with the space (hazr, orn), where a person was born (törskn/ törsn hazr), where he lives (nutg), with water sources (usn). The perceptual image of the homeland is visualized as a territory with soft earth (dzhöln hazr), green lush grass (nohan sör), warm air (dulan), healing water (arshan). Enkr chazr-usn ‘dear motherland’, eedzh-aavin nutg ‘mother-father’s nutg’ is the highest value of the Kalmyk (törl ek met), and is presented as ‘his space’ (evrä hazr-usn), opposed to ‘foreign land’ (khärin hazr). The postulates of behavior regarding the homeland: to cherish and love the homeland, to give one’s life for the homeland, to return to the homeland, to know its customs.

Introduction. The paper analyzes the linguistic landscape of the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar in an interdisciplinary theoretical and methodological context: at the junction of social semiotics, ethnography, and linguistic landscape studies as a subdiscipline of sociolinguistics. The aim of the study is to analyze the linguistic landscape signs and social meanings attributed to them by the inhabitants of Ulaanbaatar, as well as linguistic ideologies underlying social indexicality. The method used include photographing linguistic landscape units in the center of Ulaanbaatar and surveying representatives of small businesses and ordinary urban dwellers. In total, 576 units of the linguistic landscape and 100 questionnaires collected in March 2024 served as material for analysis. Results. A synchronous ‘crosscut’ of the linguistic landscape of Ulaanbaatar showed that the key ‘players’ in the linguistic ‘field’ of Mongolia — both in the capital’s linguistic landscape and in the collective consciousness are the official Mongolian language, English, followed by Chinese, Russian and Korean; vertical Mongolian writing has a special symbolic meaning. Behind the predominantly Mongolian linguistic landscape with a tendency towards Westernization other trends and ideologies have been revealed. On the one hand, it is the openness of the country and its orientation towards international cooperation, on the other hand, people’s concern about the future of the Mongolian language and its ‘purity’. The analysis also showed an ambivalent attitude towards English and Chinese in and outside the linguistic landscape, which is due to both historical memory and potential threats to the ‘small country’ from powerful neighbors and globalization, which jeopardizes national identity. As a certain ‘reconciliation’ of ambivalent language ideologies a hybrid naming strategy is interpreted, i.e. the combination of Mongolian and English on both official and unofficial signs of the linguistic landscape. This naming strategy has a multiple indexical value: this is both a representation of the Mongolian national identity and a manifestation of internationalization strategy and commodification of languages. The linguistic landscape in Ulaanbaatar creates a deceptive impression of a large presence of the Russian language, which is created due to the Cyrillic alphabet as a graphic system of the modern Mongolian language and a large number of Russian borrowings. The attitude towards Chinese is characterized by the greatest ambivalence when anti-Chinese sentiments exist along with awareness of its commodification value. In general, the linguistic landscape of Ulaanbaatar is in a state of dynamic transformation, and the increase in the symbolic weight of some languages (English, Chinese and Korean) and the decrease of others (Russian) metonymically reflects the vector of the country’s development and its value orientations.

The article examines the poetics of the musical instrument ‘yath’ (yatha) in Kalmyk folklore and lyrics of the 20th century. The purpose of the article is to study the tradition of this Kalmyk musical instrument in the aspect of its reflection in the works of Kalmyk poets. Materials and methods. The Kalmyk epic “Dzhangar”, Kalmyk folk tales, Kalmyk folk songs, as well as Mongolian legends, poems by B. B. Sangadzhieva, S. L. Baidyev, E. N. Lidzhiev of the 1960s – early 1970s were used as materials. Comparative and comparative, historical and functional methods, as well as the method of descriptive poetics, cultural, and musicological approaches determined a comprehensive analysis of the selected works in the article. Results. Yatha in Kalmyk folklore manifests itself as a sacred instrument, symbolizing the unearthly and powerful principles. If in the epic ‘biiv’ (clarinet) and ‘yath’ (harp) are presented as separate musical instruments played by characters and the wind, then in one Kalmyk fairy tale they are also represented as ‘biiv-yath’, which apparently “united” in itself two instruments: ‘biwaa’ (plucked string instrument) and ‘yath’. In Kalmyk lyrics of the last century, compared to dombra, fewer works are addressed to yatha. In the multi-genre works of B. B. Sangadzhieva, S. L. Baydyev and E. N. Lidzhiev, the theme of yatha, on the one hand, is connected with the theme of the purpose of the poet and poetry (yatha as a lyre), on the other, with a love theme through the prism of the melody of this musical instrument. In B. B. Sangadzhieva and E. N. Lidzhiev it is yatha that appears, and in S. L. Baydyev two names are given in the same text: as ‘yath’ and as ‘biiv-yath’. N. N. Matveeva translated the quatrain of B. B. Sangadzhieva into Russian, in which there is a lyre instead of a yatha.

Introduction. The article examines the biography of the first Lamyn-gegen Luvsandanzanzhaltsan and his activities in spreading Buddhism in Khalkha-Mongolia in the 17th century. As it is known, biographies of Mongolian lamas are valuable sources not only on the history of Buddhism, but also on general history of Mongolia, which contain information about certain events that have not been preserved in other historical chronicles or documents. The Mongolian lamas Ündür-gegen (1635–1723), Luvsandanzanzhaltsan (1639–1704) and Zaya-pandita Luvsanprinlai (1642–1715) played an important role in the successful spread of Buddhism in Khalkha Mongolia. If the life and activities of Ündür-gegen and Zaya pandita, their role in the history are well studied, the same cannot be said about Luvsandanzanzhaltsan, known as Lamyn-gegen. The purpose of this article is to fill in the gaps about the initial stage of the spread of Buddhism among the Khalkha-Mongolian principalities and about Luvsandanzanzhaltsan, one of the key figures in this process. Materials and methods. Mongolian-language translations of his biography written in Tibetan by Luvsanprinlai, published archival documents on the history of Mongolian monasteries and historical chronicles, publications by D. Dashbadrakh, R. Byamba, D. Ganzorig, S. Soninbayar, S.-I. Yundenbat, containing information on the subject, have been the main sources for the article. Their analyses became the basis for estimating his contribution to the spread of Buddhism and his role in the history of Mongolia in the second half of the 17th century. Within the framework of the study, a set of general scientific and special historical methods was used, which allowed us to consider the role of Lamyn-gegen in connection with the history of Mongolian society of the period under consideration. Results. The biography of Lamyn-gegen, the stages of his studying and becoming a major religious figure are considered. His role in the preparation of lamas and the construction of monasteries is described and brief information about his subsequent reincarnations is given. Attention is paid to the economic basis of the existence of his monasteries and the formation of the institute of shabinars. Conclusions. The results of the study allow us to conclude that Lamyn-gegen has made a great contribution into the spread of Buddhism in Mongolia, alongside with distributing Buddhist teaching and achievements of the centuries-old experience of medieval scientific knowledge of the East. He was the first Mongolian astrologer and emchi-lama, doctor, who has laid the foundation for the study of the heritage of Indo-Tibetan medicine and the creation of its Mongolian branch. He was also a translator of many treatises from Tibetan into Mongolian and a prominent scholar, whose works have been published in 4 volumes.

Lucius Septimius Severus was the Roman emperor from 193 to 211 AD. His portraits have an important place in the propaganda activities of Septimius Severus. It is evident that the initial portrait type may have served to propagandise the notion of the subject’s strength and agility as a soldier. The subsequent portrait may have been used to promote the subject’s affiliation with the House of Antonines. The third portrait, on the other hand, may have been employed to suggest that the subject was the deity Serapis or an individual bearing a similar resemblance. Finally, the final portrait may have been utilised to convey the image of a more mature and experienced statesman. It is also known that Septimius Severus propagandised Hercules (Herac­les). However, the armoured statue portrait found in the F2 Fountain (Nymphaeum) of Perge in 1968 may indicate that he was making a new kind of propaganda. Because here the emperor has a very different beard structure. His beard is divided into sections with a deep drill. This beard, which is quite dissolved and com­partmentalised, essentially resembles the beard of river gods. With this armoured statue, which basically shows ‘Adoption’ type hair and facial features, both Adoptive and the emperor must have been propagandised as a strong soldier. However, with this extremely unique beard in the statue belonging to Fountain F2, Septi­mius Severus resembles a river god, and therefore, it may have been propagandised that he was a river god who brought water to the city or someone who resembled a river god.

Mosaics were used for both visual and functional purposes in ancient times, whereas today they are mainly used for their visual impact. Mosaic tiles gives important information about the period they belong to. In addi­tion to the history and art of the period, they also provide information about the aesthetic taste, status, edu­cation level of the person who made the flooring. In ancient sources, it is mentioned that mosaics are actually a status symbol. Beside this, there is information about the production process and techniques of mosaics. This article presents a comprehensive evaluation of floor coverings in Pamphylia, Cilicia and Northern Syria from the Hellenistic Period to the end of the IVth century AD. It builds on previous research and offers new insights. By emphasizing various points, the floors of each region were first examined within its own region. This study has revealed a number of key findings regarding the development of mosaic art in the coastline formed by the aforementioned regions. It has also identified the interaction of the mosaics in these regions and the impact this interaction has had on the floors. In addition, it has examined the influence of mosaic workshops and pattern catalogues on the floors, as well as the mosaic production techniques, architectural contexts in which the floors are located and the materials used in the floors.

Abstract: This study examines 12 copper alloy oil lamps in Demre Museum, which were identified as bronze due to the lack of chemical analysis. Three of the oil lamps (Cat. No. 1, Cat. No. 4 and Cat. No. 5) were found in mixed contexts during scientific archaeological excavations, while the other nine oil lamps entered the museum’s inventory through purchase or forced acquisition. Since there is no link between the lamps, the order of examination is based on the chronology provided by similar examples, which help to date the lamps. The oil lamps, which date from the IInd century BC to the Seljuk Period, were analyzed by considering the characteristic form features of the periods to which they belong; Cat. No. 6, Cat. No. 7, Cat. No. 8, Cat. No. 9 and Cat. No. 10 have been classified as “biconical-bodied lamps with crosses” due to their body structure and the crosses on the handle, in a group whose similar lamps were widely found between the Vth-VIIth centuries AD. In some cases, the other oil lamps analyzed are considered to be local designs that may have been inspired by terracotta contemporaries or predecessors.

Abstract: The Phaselis Aqueduct, constructed in the IInd century AD to address the increaing population and water demands, stands as an advanced example of Roman engineering, contributing significantly to the social, economic, and public life of Phaselis. Designed to align with the city’s topography, the aqueduct transported water from distant sources, to the city, delivering it through two directional shifts to baths, fountains, an other public spaces. In the Late Antique Period, the aqueduct was adopted to the city’s evolving urban plan through various repairs and reinforcements, enabling its contiuned use. However, it gradually deteriorated due to eartquakes and changes in sea levels. The structural features of the Phaselis aqueduct, its technical details and its contribution to the city’s water transmission system have not been comprehensively documented due to partial investigations in the past. For this reason, a detailed documentation process was initiated and the relationship of its system to the structures in different parts of the city was examined through the provision of architectural and engineering documentation. Only limited sections of the aqueduct have survived to the present day, and the non-existing sections of the aqueduct have been reconstructed with their possible locations according to the data obtained.

Ancient Hellenic theatre, as a central element of the polis life, serves as the focal point of societal actions. The concept of the theatrical, however, is a phenomenon that extends far beyond Hellenic culture, predating the tangible manifestation of theatre by a considerable margin. Although the collective consciousness and ritual practices observed in the Paleolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Ages predate the emergence of Hellenic thought, they played a crucial role in the birth of theatre as a mental concept. The symbolic imagery, and ritual practices encountered in the Paleolithic, Neolithic, and Bronze Ages, although predating Hellenic thought and the emergence of tragedy, serve a determinative function in the genesis of theatre as a mental concept. This interdisciplinary research aims to analyze the roots and developmental stages of ancient Hellenic theatre on a broad scale, without limiting it to the geography of Hellas. The study takes an approach that covers the early cognitive evolution and socio-cultural structuring of humanity. This will enable an understanding of the position of ancient Hellenic theatre within the broader context of human experience.

This article introduces a total of six new inscriptions discovered in the Central, Söğüt, and Yenipazar districts of Bilecik Province. In antiquity, these districts were part of the territorium of Nicaea. These funerary inscriptions are important in that they introduce us to new names that were previously unknown in the region, and they are dated mainly to the IInd-IIIrd centuries AD, the Roman Imperial period. A number of names previously documented in Anatolia or Greece were documented for the first time in the territory of Nicaea. Among these are Antandros and Thetis. It is particularly noteworthy that the name Thetis, which is not very common, appears here. Therefore, this article contains important data on the demographic structure and onomastics of the region.

This reflection on the consistency of social crossroads takes as a case study a very specific social organization that is generalized exchange; the position defended here is that it serves as a “holding together” of the heterogenous landscape (Deleuze & Guattari 1980). In the first half of the twentieth century, the range of the Himalayan highlands bordering Burma/China/India gave rise to a series of monographic studies of the “tribes” and “groups”—the dominant terminology at the time—known as Chin, Naga, Kachin, etc. Their authors highlighted a recurring feature of a social organization based on asymmetrical exchange between “wife-givers” and “wife-takers” clans. From the second half of the twentieth century onwards, this vast corpus fueled a theoretical debate initiated by structural anthropology concerning the ‘categories indicative of matrimonial destiny’ around which “generalized exchange” is organised. The seminal works of Marcel Granet (1939), Claude Lévi-Strauss (1947) and Edmund Leach (1954), to name but a few, are considered in what follows in the light of the sudden disappearance—although the result of a long process—of the political systems provoked by the Burmese coup d’état of 1962. The aim of this article is to understand, on the basis of fieldworks carried out in the 2000s, the forms of neutralization, appropriation and other manipulations to which generalized exchange has been subjected since then. From a factual point of view, this is due to the emergence of political and religious centralisms with a hegemonic tendency; but also, from a methodological and conceptual point of view, to the trans-ethnic scope of generalized exchange and the choice of evaluating from this angle over the long term the consistency of a heterogeneous landscape.

Based on our course notebooks from the Vietnamese sections at Inalco and Paris 7 between 1989 and 1998, we are attempting, like an anthropologist relying on his notebooks, to trace the contours of a cultural history in progress. At the heart of this reflexive approach is the attempt to bring out of a certain invisibility the actors of the teaching of Vietnamese langage and civilisation at French universities during a key period, the 1990s. By evoking our teachers, also means looking et teaching programs and pedagogy. This “anthropology of the speech” is as much about the didactics of learning an Asian tonal language as it is about the direct environment in which this teaching takes place : students, libraries, local bookshops, social interactions... Our reflection thus attempts to structure elements that at first sight seem disparate around and about the teaching of Vietnamese at a given time—the decade of the 1990s, the decade of the advent of the Renewal, crucial in the evolution of contemporary Vietnam.

This text about Michel Ferlus, who passed away in March 2024, recalls his first linguistic explorations in Laos in the 1960s and his work as a researcher at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique on the languages of peninsular Southeast Asia.

This research note explores the history of the Indochinese collection at the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), with a particular focus on the Vietnamese and Indochinese employees who worked on these collections between 1942 and 1965. This project is part of a heritage remediation effort aimed at highlighting the contributions of non-European agents in the development of “extra-European” collections. By adopting an inclusive approach, it underscores the central role of these employees in indexing the 25,000 prints of the collection, which were acquired through the legal deposit system in Indochina, and examines the postcolonial dynamics within the BnF. This research draws upon the archives of the General Secretariat of the BnF, particularly the Thérèse Kleindienst collection (1943-1984), which contains previously unexplored documents on the Vietnamese employees and their interactions with the library’s departments.

With a population of 681 million in 2022, Southeast Asia is the region most affected by marine plastic pollution, for geographical, demographic and climatic reasons. 20% of the world’s plastic production is generated in Southeast Asia. 53% of the waste generated in the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the region’s intergovernmental organization, is currently not collected. It is therefore crucial for these countries to legislate, regulate and equip themselves with specialized capacities, institutions and infrastructures to fight the scourge of plastic pollution and debris as effectively as possible. As early as 2005, ASEAN mobilized to provide its member states with guidelines, recommendations and best practices in this field. On the normative level, it operates by producing mainly soft law texts. However, on a national legal and political level, each member state acts in its own way and at its own speed, applying its own agenda, with Indonesia standing out from its neighbors for its regulatory initiatives. External aid is the key to securing funding, which is sorely lacking in most of these developing countries. For the time being, it seems difficult to see how the ASEAN countries can optimize their cooperation, despite the fact that most of them have ratified multilateral treaties applicable in our field study.

In the month of June 2004, the village of Long Tuyo’—the first village above the rapids in the upper Mahakam area—decided to commemorate the anniversary of its foundation on the site (1904) by celebrating the Nemlaay Festival.The Festival, lasting six days, forms an initiation ritual for the young men and boys, besides a celebration of the warrior group proper. Now, the ceremony connected to headhunting and war until the 1950s, has taken new meanings. Although the core of the Nemlaay, i.e. the initiation rites and warrior training for the young boys and men—the live-saving force of the village during headhunting times—remain a martial value in society. Basically, Nemlaay rites emphasize status and inherited rank in connection to age and descent according to Long Glaat ideas. Since the last performance of the Nemlaay, other rituals and events have taken place in the area, such as the yearly Hudo’ Festival organized in turns by villages communities hosting the Festival, which is supported by the local tourism office, and the Dangé Great feast. During the last twenty years, I remark that the changes in the region have been tremendous. The article analyses the ritual processes and their underlying values in the frame of indigenous social and religious representations. Conversely, it gives a detailed account of Nemlaay ritual symbolism, in a comparative Indonesian perspective.

There are very few studies on Cambodia’s linguistic landscapes, on the use of Khmer in linguistic landscapes, and even less on the use of Khmer linguistic landscapes in education. As part of a joint research project involving Cambodian and French teams, we examined the linguistic landscapes of the town of Siem Reap, where we carried out joint fieldwork in 2022. This paper presents the first observations we made, based on a study of the regulations concerning public displays on the one hand and on the scriptural practices on the other. We also share some activity around the material we collected on the field for teaching Khmer, in Cambodia as well as in France.

This study aims to reaffirm the role of K.H. Mas Mansur in the context of Indonesia's struggle for independence from colonial rule. The research employs historical research procedures, including heuristics (source gathering), verification (criticism of the collected sources), interpretation (analysis of historical facts), and historiography (writing of history). The results of this study indicate that K.H. Mas Mansur's contributions to Indonesia's independence were realized both in the fields of social-religious movements to advance Islam and in politics. K.H. Mas Mansur viewed his involvement in social-religious affairs as important, seeing it as a means of empowering society in relation to understanding Islam as a way of life. Similarly, K.H. Mas Mansur believed that achieving an independent Indonesia required the development of political awareness, as resistance against the colonizers would not succeed without this consciousness. The development of the Indonesian Islamic Party (PII), for example, cannot be separated from Mas Mansur's role as a high-ranking leader of Muhammadiyah. In this context, it is clear that, alongside his active participation in the social-religious organization Muhammadiyah and his leadership within it, Mas Mansur was also deeply involved in politics.

This paper examines the impact of Dutch colonial policies on Islamic education in Palembang during the colonial period. Under Dutch rule, strict regulations were enforced on Islamic education, primarily aimed at controlling religious teachers and preventing them from using educational institutions to foster anti-colonial sentiment. The colonial government sought to weaken local resistance, often targeting influential ulama who played a key role in the dissemination of Islamic knowledge. In Palembang, traditional Islamic education was the dominant system during the Sultanate period, but with the rise of Dutch colonial power, Islamic education became marginalized, with a particular emphasis on the role of ulama and traditional Islamic teaching. Over time, the local society began to recognize the need for Dutch-style education, driven by the promise of better job opportunities for those holding Dutch school diplomas. Despite the establishment of Dutch-run schools, educational standards in Palembang remained low compared to other regions of Indonesia. This was due to both the limited public awareness of the importance of education and the inability of the colonial government to fulfill the educational aspirations of the local population. The paper highlights the complex interplay between colonial educational policies, local traditions, and the changing perceptions of education in Palembang during the colonial era.

This study focuses on the strengthening of identity and solidarity among the Indo community through the establishment of the Indo Europeesch Verbond (IEV) during the period of Indonesia's national movement. The aim of this study is to analyze the movements of the IEV in voicing the aspirations of the minority Indo group. Social segregation, both imposed by the Dutch colonial government and practiced socially, also led to an identity crisis for the population of the Dutch East Indies, which consisted of various ethnicities and races. The identity crisis also affected the Indo community, as descendants of mixed European and Dutch East Indies heritage. The identity concept developed by the Indo group was to act as an intermediary between Western and Eastern cultures. Using historical methodology, this study outlines the background of the formation of the IEV and the programs organized to assert the existence of the Indo group. The formation of identity began with collective awareness and the shared sense of discrimination, which then manifested in the desire to form associations and organizations. The research findings show that the IEV implemented various welfare programs to build solidarity, such as education and scholarships, colonization (transmigration), and the movements of Indo women and youth. In addition to welfare programs, political pathways were also pursued, notably through representatives in the Volksraad. This study demonstrates that an organization plays a significant role in the formation of identity and solidarity within the Indo community, which had its own unique characteristics in the context of Indonesia's national movement.

The Mekong River Basin, a lifeline for millions in Southeast Asia, faces a multifaceted challenge: balancing cooperation for sustainable development with the competing geopolitical interests of regional and global powers. This paper explores the Mekong Cooperation Frameworks (MCF), a web of partnerships between the Mekong countries and external actors. This paper delves into the strengths and weaknesses of various MCF frameworks, including the Mekong River Commission (MRC), Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC), Mekong-Japan Cooperation (MJC), Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI), Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC), and Mekong- Republic of Korea Cooperation (Mekong-ROK). Each framework offers unique approaches to infrastructure development, water resource management, and socio-economic progress, but also faces limitations. Beyond existing frameworks, this paper also provides suggestions for the characteristics of successful Mekong-Russia Cooperation (MRUC) within the MCF. The author further analyses the complex geopolitical landscape of the Mekong region. The Mekong countries must navigate the influence of China, a major player in infrastructure projects and water management, while also engaging with the United States, Japan, and other regional powers. Frameworks like the LMI and Friends of the Lower Mekong appear to counter China's dominance, while the MLC raises concerns about transparency in water resource management. This paper proposes some recommendations to ensure the Mekong River remains a symbol of regional cooperation and prosperity. Strengthening the MRC through enhanced regulatory power and fostering greater regional cooperation on water management and environmental protection is crucial. The author also emphasizes leveraging existing ASEAN mechanisms for collective action and advocating for a unified approach to the Mekong. Conclusively, this paper argues that navigating the geopolitical complexities of the Mekong region requires a delicate balancing act. By fostering cooperation within the MCF, strengthening regional institutions, and advocating for a unified approach, the Mekong countries can ensure the Mekong River serves as a bridge for a sustainable and prosperous future.

The article analyzes the role of continuity in the development of Japan's defense sector at the present stage. The study examines the key steps of the Japanese leadership towards strengthening of national security policy against the backdrop of a tendency to gradual transition from the implementation of defensive measures to the formation of a base for offensive operations. The work also emphasizes Washington's serious influence on Tokyo's decision to significantly increase Japan's military power. Particular attention is paid to the current defense course of the Kishida Fumio administration in the context of growing regional threats from China and North Korea. Attempts to pursue a hybrid policy are noted, which involves balancing between promoting measures to strengthen the defense sector and confirming with the anti-war sentiments prevailing among the Japanese population.

The major powers are becoming more interested in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) due to its strategic location. They believe that increasing their presence in the area helps to achieve a number of national goals, particularly enhancing their influence in the Asia-Pacific region as a whole as well as in the countries of mainland Southeast Asia. The article examines the US and China’s approaches to the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) in light of their rivalry. This analysis additionally demonstrates that every power has a unique way for creating integration mechanisms in order to draw the GMS nations under its influence. The paper also focuses on the evaluation of Russia's capabilities. The author points out that given China's and the United States' long-standing presence in the area, Russia, which has a number of interests there, must take the proper measures to establish its place and role in the region.

This paper's purpose is to examine the cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Vietnam, with a focus on its significance for the EAEU in ASEAN. The present state of affairs is considered from the perspective of Vietnam's ties with the EAEU, which includes Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia. The study is based on the dynamics of Vietnam's trade turnover with each of these countries, including import and export of goods, the structure of their categories, investment volume, and the number of investment projects in each country. The analysis of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the EAEU is another focus of the article, as well as identifying the FTA's function and its possible prospects. An independent attempt is made to define Vietnam's primary benefits and obstacles when compared with other ASEAN members. The paper’s findings can be applied to enhance bilateral relations between Vietnam and EAEU countries.

The article examines the content of “state overseas interests”, which is an important Chinese diplomatic concept, and studies the role those interests play in the country's foreign policy strategy. The work analyzes a relatively wide range of Chinese research literature, conceptual and regulatory documents related to the PRC’s policy to protect its overseas interests. The author concludes that the Chinese leadership adheres to a narrow materialistic interpretation of overseas interests and does not regard their protection as an existential need as compared to the “core interests” of the country. At present, Beijing's pursuit of its overseas interests exhibits protective nature and is aimed at promoting country’s economic development, implementing foreign economic initiatives, improving international image and deepening its relations with other states. This situation is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future, but the emergence of more serious threats to China's overseas interests may bring about new changes in the country's foreign policy strategy.

With the formation of a new technological paradigm and global competition for leadership in the digital space, the attention of experts is shifting towards the growth of political, economic and R&D influence of Eastern countries, which imposes new demands on research methods and tools. The article summarizes the experience of enhancing the academic research process through involving young IT professionals in the Oriental studies in competitive mode. During two weeks of the “Hackathon” contest organized by Yandex Cloud, Napoleon IT and AI Talent Hub in collaboration with the experts from the Institute on Oriental Studies and the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences, contestants were challenged to develop a chat bot employing generative models and machine translation to analyze news flows of East Asian countries, primarily China and Japan. A review of the winners’ approaches and solutions proves overall feasibility of the idea and shows that many specific linguistic and engineering tasks that were relevant only recently have already been successfully solved. Therefore, when planning and developing next-generation digital tools, it is necessary to operate at functionally and semantically higher levels of generalization closer to human reasoning.

Japan has a number of specific interests in the Arctic region, which in their current form emerged near the end of the 2000s. Firstly, the authors discuss using the transport capabilities of the Northern Sea Route, which can potentially have a significant positive effect on the development of the Japanese economy not only by diversifying hydrocarbon supply routes, but also as a shorter logistics leg for the export of goods, mainly to European countries. Secondly, the exploitation of the natural resources of the Arctic is of great importance for Japan – whereas it is a resource-deficient country, participation in such projects is always relevant. It is obvious that Japanese interests in the Arctic region will be far from practical implementation without interaction with Russia, despite the serious deterioration of bilateral relations due to Japan’s accession to anti-Russian sanctions imposed by Western countries in connection with the Special military operation in Ukraine. Cooperation with Russia in the Arctic region is still ongoing, mostly within the framework of the joint implementation of the Arctic LNG-2 energy project. However, there are other areas, which will also be discussed in this article.

Abstract: A gastropod species characterised by bristles was observed at a depth of 6 m during a dive conducted in October 2022 in a rocky and gravelly area in Göynük town (coordinates 36°39’1.72′ N; 30°33’35.29′ E) in Phaselis territory. This gastropod, which has not been recorded in the region before, was identified as Monoplex parthenopeus (Salis Marschlins, 1793). This new species contributes to the marine biodiversity of the Gulf of Antalya.

Introduction. The article is devoted to the study of the history of the confrontation of the Barguts in Manchuria in the context of historical events in China. On the territory of Barga, in northeastern China, the socio-political situation at the beginning of the 20th century was difficult, caused not only by internal political processes of sharing power (confrontation of ethnic groups, preservation of traditional types of nature management), the struggle for resources, but also by external influences for domination and dominance in northeast East Asia (Russia, China and Japan). Under these conditions, the governments of Russia, Japan and the Chinese authorities, taking into account emerging political and international situations, methodically defended their interests in the region. The most affected were the peoples of Barga, in particular, the Barguts, who most advocated sovereignty. The purpose of the article is a comprehensive study of the political situation and ethno cultural aspects to identify the features of the formation of the Bargut ethnic group in the period from 1900 to 1921. Materials and methods. The research methodology is based on comparative historical, historical-genetic, historical-dynamic, retrospective methods, and interviewing methods, which made it possible to most fully analyze the main stages and patterns of the history of the Bargut confrontation in Manchuria in the context of historical events in China, taking into account ethno political and religious aspects. Based on archival materials from the AVPRI, field research, and the achievements of modern domestic and foreign historiography, problematic and key issues regarding a specific ethnic group of the Barguts of northeast China in a certain historical period (1900–1921) are considered. Results. The identification of the ethnic history of the Barguts of northeastern China and the introduction of new archival materials made it possible to identify the features of the national liberation struggle for the sovereignty of the Bargut ethnic group and the search for ways to achieve goals.

Introduction. This scientific study examines the history of the organization of gold mining in a Russian company — the Joint Stock Company of Mining of the Tushetukhanovsky and Tsetsenkhanovsky aimags in Mongolia (“Mongolor”). The purpose of the research is to study the mechanism of delivery of Mongolian gold to the Russian territory; identify and evaluate the role of the Russo-Chinese Bank and the Kyakhtinsky District Treasury in this process. Materials and methods. The study is based on the analysis of data from regulatory documents contained in the Complete Collection of Laws of the Russian Empire and previously unpublished cases from the funds of the State Archive of the Republic of Buryatia and the Russian State Historical Archive. In his research, the author used a number of general scientific and special historical methods. The main method used is historical-genetic, the use of which helped to identify the reasons according to which the Mongolor joint-stock company was created, as well as to reconstruct the mechanism of both gold production by this company and its further transit to Russia. The author's application of the theory of modernization made it possible to consider the financial policy pursued by the authorities of the Russian Empire as the main tool in the modernization of the state. Results. The flourishing of the economy of the Russian Empire in the 1890s was largely possible due to the well-thought-out financial policy pursued by the country's authorities. Thanks to the successfully implemented monetary reform, the author of which was Minister of Finance S.Yu. Witte, the Russian ruble has become one of the most stable world currencies. The strengthening of the ruble exchange rate and its free conversion provided the country with an influx of foreign investment, which contributed to the constant growth of its economy. In order to maintain the growth rate of the commercial and industrial sector of the empire, the power circles of the Russian Empire were constantly looking for opportunities to increase the gold reserves of the state. At the beginning of the 20th century, one of the sources of gold for Russia were mines in the northern regions of Mongolia. A company created under the control of the Russian government, the Joint-Stock Company of Mining of the Tushetukhanovsky and Tsetsenkhanovsky aimags in Mongolia (“Mongolor”), was able to quickly establish the extraction of the precious metal. The resulting gold was sent to Russia with the help of the Russo-Chinese Bank and the Kyakhtinsky District Treasury. Through joint efforts, employees of these financial organizations were able to establish a highly efficient mechanism for transporting Mongolian gold. Conclusions. The Joint-Stock Company for the Mining of the Tushetukhanovsky and Tsetsenkhanovsky aimags in Mongolia (“Mongolor”), created with the support of the Russo-Chinese Bank and foreign capital, is an example of a successful business project that not only helped to significantly replenish the gold reserves of the Russian Empire but contributed to the strengthening of Russian influence in Mongolia