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George Vernadsky, Ancient Russia. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1943. Cloth, pp. xiv, 425.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 August 2018
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- Copyright © Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies 1946
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1 I am not sure that Vernadsky does not regard these people as Slavs or Alans (As). As one proceeds in the book, he becomes more confused on that point.
2 If the author uses Chinese sources (and there is such a section in his bibliography), he should be consistent, and adopt a transliteration system agreed upon by Sinologists. Thus (p. 77) “Ch'ien Han Shu” is the accepted Giles-Wade transliteration. Vernadsky's“Heou Han Shu” is French. ‘Siouen’ (p. 50) (read Hsüan) is neither French nor Giles-Wade, (p. 67) Yueh-chi (read Yüeh-chih), Shi-ki (p. 77) (read Shih-chi), etc. While this may seem pedantic, it is important in Chinese sources, unlike Arabic and Persian, where (however) the author also shows his unfamiliarity and inconsistency; thus p. 205 ‘Djabal-Tarik,’ but p. 289 ‘Gurjania’, where Dj and j represent the same letter in Arabic; p. 221 read Maslama for ‘Muslima’. ‘Marwan’ for ‘Marvan’, on pp. 208,222, etc.
3 On p. 2 he says, “As to the Sarmatian domination we have more positive evidence that some of the ancestral groups of the Russian tribes were already in the Pontic steppes under Sarmatian control.” Perhaps a more sharp-eyed reader can find the positive evidence rather than indications.
4 This is not mentioned as an historical principle, but rather a suggestion on a possibly better division of subject.
5 Cf. Asia (July, 1940), pp. 357-361; Vestnik Drevnei Istorii, 1939 (1), pp. 256-257.
6 Cf. Passek, I. S., “Issledovaniya Tripolskoi Kultury v SSSR,”, Vestnik Drevnei Istorii, 1938, I (2), pp. 261–278.Google Scholar
7 Kiselev, S. V., “Sovetskaya Arkheologiya Sibirii perioda Metalla,” Vestnik Drevnei Istorii, I (2), 1938, 228–243.Google Scholar Also, Gaul, J. H., “Observations on the Bronze Age in the Yenisei Valley, Siberia,” Papers of the Peabody Museum, Harvard U., xx (1943), 149–187.Google Scholar
8 Cf. Calalogus Codicum Manuscriptorum Orientalium qui in Museo Brilannico Asservantur, pars secunda (London, 1846), pp. 604 ff. A text edited from a unique manuscript is difficult, and many of the readings are necessarily uncertain.
9 Minorsky, V., Hudud al-'Ālam (London, 1937), ix Google Scholar.
10 Presumably the author refers to Schmidt, L., Geschichle der deutschen Stämme bis zum Ausgange der Völkerwanderung (Berlin, 1904)Google Scholar, and new ed. Munich, 1934.
11 Chavannes, E., Les Memoires historiques de Se-ma Ts'ien I, 277 (Paris, 1895)Google Scholar. I realize that the emperor Hsüan may have later defeated the nomads, and could have started a great migration, but where are the sources?
12 In connection with early migrations and trade in Central Asia, one must not forget that Bartold has shown that the “Silk route” through the Tarin Basin to the west was not known or used before the fall of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom in the second century B.C. It is of some significance in reading Vernadsky (cf. Bartold, V., “Greko-Baktrilskoe Gosudarstvo i ego rasprostranenie na severovostok,” Isvestiya A.N.., 1916, esp. pp. 823–824.Google Scholar
13 The reviewer is saved unnecesary repetition by Maenchen-Helfen, O., “The Yuehchih Problem Re-examined”, Amer. Oriental Soc. (1945), pp. 71–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14 This is by no means a trite statement by the reviewer; for a check on Vernadsky's references failed to reveal where he obtained his information. It was probably by intuition. Just as there is no purpose in discussing the errors a classicist might make in writing on Mexican economy in the last century, so a discussion of Vernadsky’ remarks in a field in which he is not competent has no significance. The answer, of course, is that a classicist would never write authoritatively on Mexican economy.
15 Vernadsky is probably using references of the past century, or the early 1900's, when much less was known.
16 Zeki-Validi Togan, A., Ibn Fadlān's Reisebericht Leipzig, 1939,105–106 Google Scholar. Cf. the forthcoming article by R. P. Blake and the reviewer in the Byzantina-Metabyzantina Volume. The review by Ritter, H., ZDMG (1942), pp. 98–126 Google Scholar, is entirely text-criticism. Vernadsky would do well to read the discussion on the language of the Volga Bulgars and other Turkish tribes of South Russia, the differentiation of lir and saz (Turkish) etc. in Zeki-Validi's book, p. 105.
17 The Introduction to Tabarī, describing the manuscripts and parts apportioned to each editor, is most confusing. It is written in four languages, and is an example of what scholarly cooperation should not be. Consequently I am uncertain as to which manuscript Houtsma used in addition to the Algiers ms.
18 Cf. Vasiliev, A., The Goths in the Crimea, Cambridge, USA, 1936, 114 Google Scholar. The reviewer does not wish to enter into controversies in this subject, but merely to show the inadequacies of Vernadsky's presentation.
19 Zeki Validi Togan, op. cit., 320. Ibn Hauqal (cf. p. 386 of Vernadsky for full references), pp. 281, 285; Istakhri, pp. 226-227. In Kramer's, J. H. new edition of Ibn Hauqal (Leiden, 1939), p. 397.Google Scholar
20 Cf. Atalay, B., Divanü Lugat-it-Türk Tercümesi, 5 vols, (including photostats and index), Ankara, 1943 Google Scholar. This is far better than Brockelmann, , Mitteltürkischer Wortschatz, Leipzig, 1928 Google Scholar. For the Orkhon inscriptions cf. Orkun, H. N., Eski Türk Yazĭtlarĭ, 4 vols., Istanbul, 1936-1941 Google Scholar.
21 Donner, O., Vergleichendes Wörlerbuch der Finnisch-Ugrischen Sprachen, Helsingfors 1874 Google Scholar; Radloff, W., Versuch eines Wörlerbuches der Türk-Dialecte (St. Petersburg, 1893-1911), 4 volsGoogle Scholar.
22 This is well-known, e.g., Qara Koyunlu and Akkoyunlu of 15th century Iran. Also in the Orkhon inscriptions; cf. Orkun, , op. cit., IV, 10 Google Scholar, and 85 for further reference.
23 Eberhard, Cf. W., Kultur und Siedlung der Randvölker Chinas (Leiden, 1942)Google Scholar, and Turkish translation Çin'in Şimalĭ Komuşlarĭ (Ankara, 1942), particularly the chapters on Ye-ta.
24 Cf. especially Balint, Hóman, Geschichte des Ungarischen Mitlelallers (Berlin, 1940)Google Scholar which might change the author's remarks. It is unfortunate the author did not have an opportunity of consulting the excellent work of Moravcsik, G., Byzantinoturcica, Byzantinische Quetten zur Geschichte der Türkvöolker, 2 vols., Budapest, 1942-1943 Google Scholar.
25 Cf. Smirnov, A. P., “O vozniknovenii Gosudarstva Volžekikh Bulgar,” Vestnik Drevnei Istorii, 1938, I (2), especially pp. 103 Google Scholar, 106. Further references are given there.
26 Cf. the excellent article by Zeki-Validi Togan, A. on the “Alan” in Islam Ansiklopedisi, Istanbul, 1944 Google Scholar (In Turkish). I speak only of the “As” per se, not of Vernadsky's deductions re the “Asii” or “Iasy” (p. 83).
27 Zeki-Validi Togan, , Ibn Fadlān's Reisebericht, 331.Google Scholar
28 Ibid., 323-325. Zeki-Validi's interpretation of the Arabic verbs “yanzilu” — “flusźabwärts,” und “yas‘adu” — “flusz-aufwärts” is quite instructive,but too detailed toreē produce here.
29 In fairness to the author, it must be said that the Alans did play a large role, not only in South Russia, but also in Central Asia, and traces of their occupation may yet be found. Cf. Karpov, G., “Oskolki ischeznuvshikh Alanov,” Turkmenovedenie, VIII, 1930, 39–40 Google Scholar, and Tolstov, S. P., “Osnovye Voprosy Drevnei Istorii Srednei Azii”, Vestnik Drevnei Istorii, 1938, I (2), 197.Google Scholar
The use of the word “Alan,” however is varied and indefinite. It is wrong to assign great territories to them and designate so many tribes as Alans, and Vernadsky should be more careful. Cf. Krupnov, E. I., “Galyatskii Mogilnik kak istochnik po istorii Alan-Ossov,“ Vestnik Drevnei Istorii, 1938, II Google Scholar (3), especially p. 120. The author missed this important article.
The name has also the reading ‘Alān in Abū'l-Fidā, ed. Reinaud, Paris, 1840, 203.
30 Vernadsky, p. 273, “the Khazars, overlords of the As, were not able to protect them” (the As). The known facts are: Marwān defeated the Khazars and their allies, and raided far into their territory taking many prisoners. The Varangians (Swedes) p. 285 are made vassals of the Khazars for this event. Enough said.
31 For further references, and a good discussion cf. Togan Zeki-Validi, Ibn Faḍlān, p. 200. This attempt to connect the Severians and Saviri recalls another theory, viz.,—that the American Indians are really Turks, for “dokmak” in Turkish means “to strike,” (tomahawk in American Indian); “tepe” means “a hill,” (tepee in American Indian). The name of the state of Kentucky can also be explained as Turkish.