Small Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals of the IRGS
About the medals
These medals were established to recognise distinguished work in the various fields of activity undertaken by the Imperial Russian Geographical Society. The medals were awarded from 1858 till 1930 inclusive. No more than 4 Small Gold Medals were awarded annually, whereas the number of Small Silver and Bronze Medals was not limited.
Established in
1858
Awarded for
The Small Gold Medal was conferred on authors of independent works in one of the fields of activity engaged in by the Society. The Silver and Bronze Medals were awarded to authors of outstanding scientific publications, and to people who in some way made possible successful execution of Society’s assignments, as well as to people who otherwise benefited the Society.
Other recipients
Gold Medals
1866 – Pyotr Semyonov, for outstanding service to the Society and science in the course of his work at the Physical Geography Division, as well as for his long and beneficial service as the Division’s chairman;
1868 – Karl Struve, for astronomic determinations in Central Asia, partly commissioned by the Imperial Russian Geographical Society, as well as for drawing up a 100-verst (160 km) map of the Turkestan region (now known as the Syrdarya region), which was later published by the Society;
1870 – Venedikt Dybovsky and Viktor Godlevsky, for their joint research into fauna of the environs of Kultuk and Lake Baikal;
1882 – Vsevolod Roborovsky, for accompanying N. Przhevalsky, honorary member of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society, on his expeditions, as well as for distinguished descriptions and ethnographic drawings, illustrating the appearance and dress of various peoples, made during Przhevalsky’s last expedition. They included drawings of peoples that had never been drawn by a European artist.
1888 – Bronislav Grombchevsky, for his travels to Kandzhut and Raskem;
1898 – Nikolay Zarudny, for outstanding execution of the Society’s assignment on the Persian deserts’ exploration;
1911 – Valentin Bianchi, for handling and preserving zoological collections from Society’s numerous expeditions.
Silver Medals
1865 – Vladimir Poltoratsky, for his article about the Turkestan region, and for drawing up a map of the Kirgiz steppe, commissioned by the Society;
1869 – Nikolai Przhevalsky, for his article called “Non-Russian population of the south Primorye region”.
1973 – Olga Fedchenko, for translating from English of an article by Henry Youle entitled “An essay on geography and history of the upper Amu Darya River”.
1886 – Pyotr Kozlov and P. Teleshov, for their outstanding work during N.Przhevalsky’s expedition;
1895 – Alexander Dostoyevsky, for his great contribution to the “History of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society”.
1905 – D. Mushketov, for his participation in the expedition to Peter the Great Ridge in Darvaz.
Bronze Medals
1859 – G. Myasoedov, for colleting extensive data on the Tula province;
1874 – Cossacks Pamfil Chebaev and Dondok Irinchinov, who accompanied N.Przhevalsky on his expedition in China, Mongolia and Tibet;
1880 – Mr. Eliseev, for his participation in Mr. Potanin’s expedition, and for laying the expedition route through north-western Mongolia;
1883 – Samoyed Prokopiy Vylko, for helping L. Grinevetsky cross the Novaya Zemlya (New Land) Archipelago;
1890 – Boatswains D. Maklashevsky and A. Kozulya, for their invaluable assistance to members of the expedition to the Black Sea;
1891 – Besaul Kalagov, who served as a guide to N. Kuznesov, a member of the Russian Geographical Society, on his journey to the Caucasus in 1890;
1897 – Bokharan official Mirza Nasr-Eddin Khodzha, for assisting V. Lipskiy on his journey to Gissarsky Ridge;
1911 – Abdul- Sallam-Gadum-Ogly and Serkem-Gadzhi-Ibragim-Ogly, guides and interpreters of N. Kuznetsov, a member of the Russian Geographical Society, during his expedition in the Caucasus.