Kurbat Ivanov

Who is Kurbat Ivanov?

Kurbat Afanasyevich Ivanov was among the greatest Cossack explorers of Siberia. He was the first Russian to discover Lake Baikal, and to create the first map of the Russian Far East. He also is credited with creation of the early map of Chukotka and Bering Strait, which was the first to show (very schematically) the yet undiscovered Wrangel Island, both Diomede Islands and Alaska.

Kurbat Ivanov was born a Yeniseyan Cossack. In 1642 he made the first map of the Russian Far East, based on the explorations of Ivan Moskvitin.

Ivanov came to the Verkholensky ostrog on Lena River, and taking 74 men with himself he sailed south up the river on 21 June 1643, having decided to find if the rumors of large body of water south of Lena were true. He took with himself a Tungus prince Mozheul to assist in finding the way. Through the upper Lena and its tributary Ilikta they reached Primorsky Ridge, crossed it by foot, and by the Sarma River descended to Lake Baikal near Olkhon Island. Having built new boats, Ivanov sailed to Olkhon.

Ivanov sent 36 men under the leadership of Semyon Skorokhodov to sail along the western shore of Baikal to the mouth of Upper Angara giving them another Tungus prince, called Yunoga, in assistance. Skorokhodov reached the northern tip of Baikal, built a winter settlement there and started to gather tribute from locals. In the end of 1643 Skorokhodov was returning south with the half of his men, but was ambushed by Arkhich Batur (probably a Buryat) and killed with some of his men. Twelve men managed to return to Verkholensky ostrog, while аnother two, named Lyovka Vyatchanin and Maximka Vyzhegchanin, traveled as far as Yeniseysky ostrog by Angara and Yenisey. The latter Cossack later returned to Baikal with ataman V. Kolesnikov.