Slovanský Zeměvid [Slavic Map.]

• Main Author: Šafaìrik, Pavel Jozef
• Format: Map
• Language: unknown
• Published: Venceslav Merklas, 1842
• Subjects: Ethnography; Nationality; Race; North-Western Russia; samoyed*
• Online Access: https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~356422~90123324; https://media.davidrumsey.com/MediaManager/srvr?mediafile=/Size4/RUMSEY~8~1/213/15826000.jpg

"Fascinating and nearly unknown map from the early days of ethnographic cartography in the Czech Republic by one of the founding fathers of scientific Slavic studies. The large-format map with the area between Berlin, Kazan, the Caucasus and Albania shows the geographical distribution of the various Slavic peoples. The main map is expanded by an inset map showing today's Finland and north-western Russia. The Přehled kmenův a větví jejich – literally “Overview of tribes and their branches'' - classifies and colour-schemes different people, i.e. Slavs, Lithuanians, Romanian, Germans, Bulgarians, Albanians, Armenians, Samoyeds, Tatars, Turks and “Strangers” (Čudi). While large areas of Poland, Belarus, Russia and Ukraine (with the exception of the Crimean Peninsula and areas along the Volga) were ethnically very homogeneously populated, there is a strong ethnic mix especially in the areas of the Balkans, Hungary and Romania. This mix was the starting point of major upheavals in the 20th century and was only largely eliminated through government purges after Second World War. Venceslav Merklas, a renowned engraver from Prague, made the fantastic steel engraving after a drawing of Pavel Jozef Šafaìrik. Šafárik, along with Josef Dobrovský and Jernej Kopitar, is considered one of the founders of scientific Slavic studies. With Ján Kollár he made a significant contribution to the revival of Slovak culture." (Martin Nell, 2023)