Society of Devotees of Natural Science, Anthropology, and Ethnography
The Society of Devotees of Natural Science, Anthropology, and Ethnography (OLEAE) (Russian: Императорское общество любителей естествознания, антропологии и этнографии (ОЛЕАЭ) was a public scientific organization in the Russian Empire and its successor states from 1863 to 1931. Members included scientists and professors but also educated laymen interested in the subjects as an avocation.
The society was founded at Moscow University in 1863 under the name "Society of Natural Scientists". A department of anthropology was added in 1864 at the initiative of Anatoli Petrovich Bogdanov, Professor of Zoology and Anthropology at Moscow University, and other departments were added in subsequent years.[1] In 1871 the society changed its name to "Society of Devotees of Natural Science, Anthropology, and Ethnography"[1]
The society was involved in the organization of natural science expeditions, exhibitions of finds from these various missions, public science education, and promoting of funding for science in the Russian Empire and later in the USSR.
The society published various journals including Proceedings of the Society of Natural History, Anthropology and Ethnography (1863–1917), Ethnographic Review (1889–1917), Geography (1894–1924), and Russian Journal of Anthropology (1900–1916).[1] The society took the lead in establishing the Polytechnical Museum in Moscow, opened on December 12, 1872.[2] Society members won numerous awards and medals for their work,[1] For its contributions to Russian science the society was permitted to style itself "Imperial Society of Devotees of Natural Science, Anthropology, and Ethnography".
In 1931 the society was merged into the Moscow Society of Natural Scientists.[3]
Presidents of the society
- G. E. Shchurovsky (1863–1884)
- August Yulevich Davidov (1884–1885)
- Anatoli Petrovich Bogdanov (1886–1889)
- Vsevolod Fyodorovich Miller (1889–1890)
- Dmitry Nikolayevich Anuchin (1890–1923)
- Alexei Nikolaevich Severtsev (1923–1931)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Irina Komarova Ilyinichna (2005–2007). "Общество любителей естествознания, антропологии и этнографии при Московском университете" [Society of Devotees of Science, Anthropology and Ethnography at the University of Moscow]. Directory of the Scientific Societies of Russia. Retrieved January 20, 2012. (Russian)
- ↑ "Федеральное государственное учреждение культуры "Политехнический музей"" [Federal State Institution of Culture "Polytechnic Museum"]. Museums of Russia. Russian Cultural Heritage Network. December 23, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2012. (Russian)
- ↑ "Общество любителей естествознания, антропологии и этнографии" [Society of Devotees of Natural Science, Anthropology, and Ethnography]. Retrieved January 20, 2012. (Russian)