GUMILËV, Lev Nikolaevič. Carskoe Selo 18.9.(1.10.)1912 — St.Petersburg 15.6.1992. Russian Historian of Central Asia, Archaeologist and geographer, also writer and translator. Son of Nikolaj Stepanovič G. (d. 1921) and Anna Ahmatova (1889–1966), both well-known poets who divorced when he was still a child. Because of his parents he was not allowed to university and had his early career as assistant in geology: in 1930-33 sotrudnik at CNIGRI (Central’nyj naučno-issledovatel’skij geologo-razvedovatel’nij institut), from 1934 at GIN AN SSR (Geological Institute of Soviet Academy). From 1934 also studies at Leningrad University. Arrested, in 1938-43 in camp in Norilsk, then released and in war service. After war continued his studies. Graduated 1946 Leningrad. Kand. ist. nauk 1948, dr. ist. nauk 1962. From 1949 naučnyj sotrudnik at Ethnographical Museum (says Miliband, but in fact in 1949-56 again imprisoned), in 1956-62 in Hermitage and from 1962 at Geogr. Faculty of Leningrad University, from 1965 staršij naučnyj sotrudnik.

He discussed the causes of Eurasian nomadic migrations and the evolution of ethnic groups. Some of his ideas reveal Antisemitism. He knew Persian and Turkish languages.

Publications: Kand.diss. Podrobn. polit. istorija pervogo tjurksk. kaganata. Manuscript, Lg. 1948; dr. diss. Drevn. tjurki: Istorija Sredn. Azii iz grani drevnosti i srednevekov’ja (VI–VII vv.). Manuscript of 753 p. Lg. 1935-61.

– Edited: Landšaft i ètnos. 1-14. Lg. 1964-75; Otkrytie Hazarii (Ist.-geogr. ètjud). 91 p. M. 1966, Czech ed. 178 p. Prague 1971; Ponski vymyšlen. carstva (Legenda o “gosudarstve presvitera Ioanna”). 431 p. M. 1970, English tr. 405 p. Cambridge 1987.

– Drevn. tjurki. 504 p. M. 1967, Polish ed. 372 p. Warsaw 1973.

– Hunny v Kitae: Tri veka vojny Kitaja so stepn. narodami: III–VI vv. 236 p. M. 1974.

– Staroburjatsk. živopis’: Ist. sjužety v ikonografii Aginsk. dacana. 55+110 p. M. 1975.

– Ètnogenezis i biosfera zemli. 1-4. Lg. 1979-87.

– Tysjačeletie vokrug Kaspija Baku: Azernešr. 308 p. 1991; Tysjačeletie vokrug Kaspija: ist.-geogr. monografija. 336 p. M. 1993.

– V poiskah vymyšlennogo carstva. 319 p. M. 1992; Drevn. Rus’ i Velikaja Step’. 782 p. M. 1992.

– Iz istorii Evrazii. 79 p. M. 1993; Ètnosfera. Istorija ljudej i istorija prirody. 544 p. M. 1993.

Sources: Miliband 1995; A. Vigasin kindly opened the names of the geological institutes for which Miliband only gives abbreviations without explanation; Wikipedia (more in Russian Vikipedija with photo).