Hard Labor Convicts Sorting Ore at the Savinsk Mine, Zerentui Section of the Nerchinsk... 1891. Creator: Aleksei Kuznetsov

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Hard Labor Convicts Sorting Ore at the Savinsk Mine, Zerentui Section of the Nerchinsk... 1891. Creator: Aleksei Kuznetsov

Hard Labor Convicts Sorting Ore at the Savinsk Mine, Zerentui Section of the Nerchinsk Mining District, 1891. One of 74 views taken in July 1891 and contained in the albumTipy i vidy Nerchinskoi katorgi (Views and inhabitants of Nerchinsk hard labor camps). The Nerchinskkatorgawas part of the katorga (forced labor) system of imperial Russia, located in the province of Transbaikalia (present-day Zabaykal'skiy Kray), near the Russian border with China. The katorga was administered by the Ministry of Interior and included prisons at Akatuy, Kara, Aleksandrovsk, Nerchinskii Zavod, and Zerentuy, all of which are depicted in the album. National Library of Russia

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Aleksei Kirillovich Kuznetsov Aleksei Kuznetsov Convict Convicts Exile Exiled Forced Labour Hard Labour Katorga Kuznetsov Aleksei Labour Camp Mine Mining Nerchinsk Transbaikal Territory Russia Penal Servitude Prison Camp Prisoner Prisoners Punishing Punishment Siberia Siberian Sorting Transbaikal Russia Zabaykalsky Krai Russia Meeting Of Frontiers White And Black

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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures a group of hard labor convicts sorting ore at the Savinsk Mine, Zerentui Section of the Nerchinsk Mining District, in the late 1890s. The image is one of 74 views taken by Russian photographer Aleksei Kuznetsov during his visit to the Nerchinsk labor camps in July 1891. The Nerchinsk katorga, or labor camp, was part of the imperial Russian katorga system, which was administered by the Ministry of Interior and located in the Transbaikal region, near the Russian border with China. The camps included prisons at Akatuy, Kara, Aleksandrovsk, Nerchinskii Zavod, and Zerentuy, all of which are depicted in Kuznetsov's album, Tipy i vidy Nerchinskoi katorgi (Views and inhabitants of Nerchinsk hard labor camps). The convicts in this photograph are shown working in a hillside mine, sorting through piles of ore to separate the valuable minerals from the waste rock. The men, dressed in ragged clothing, appear focused and determined as they perform their laborious task. The hills in the background suggest the rugged terrain of the Transbaikal region, which was known for its rich mineral resources. The image conveys a sense of harshness and isolation, reflecting the punishing conditions of penal servitude in the Russian labor camps. The photograph offers a glimpse into the lives of the convicts, who were exiled to Siberia for various crimes and served their sentences through hard labor. The image also highlights the meeting of frontiers, as the Russian Empire expanded its reach into Transbaikalia and sought to exploit its natural resources. The photograph is an important historical document, providing insight into the industrial and penal history of Russia during the 19th century.

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