Vasily Dokuchaev
(the 175th anniversary)
Central Soil Museum by V.V. Dokuchaev –
Branch of the Federal Research Centre
V.V. Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute
Saint Petersburg, Russia
2021
Vasily Vasilyevich Dokuchaev
(01.03.1846 – 08.11.1903)
Great Russian scholar, natural scientist,
Professor of Mineralogy and Geology of St. Petersburg University.
• created the science of soil - Soil Science
• he was the first to establish that the soil is an independent natural body, qualitatively different from all other
bodies of nature
• proved that living organisms form an integral part of the soil
• discovered the basic laws of the origin and geographical distribution of soils
• developed the doctrine of natural and soil zones, discovered the law of horizontal zoning and high-altitude
zoning of soils
• formulated the law about factors of soil formation
• established the principles of the structure of the soil profile
• developed new methods of soil research and the basics of soil classification and cartography
• laid the foundations of ecology
• laid the foundations of the doctrine of the biosphere
• he pioneered and put into practice a sustainable system of farming
• the author of 281 printed works, 4 maps; editor of 57 books and 7 maps from 1869 to 1900
• founded the scientific school. His outstanding students made major contributions to various branches of
natural science.
The Dokuchaev natural science paradigm evolutionarily changed the methodologies of almost all
sciences of the XX century. Many of Dokuchaev's ideas are most relevant and they have not lost their
significance in the modern world.
On the site of this house in the village of Milyukovo, Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the village
Novoduginsky district, Smolensk region, stood the house of Milyukovo, Smolensk region, where V. Dokuchaev was
where Vasily Dokuchaev was born. baptised in 1846. It was destroyed during the Great
Archive CSM F.2. I. 39. D. 4, P.28 Patriotic War.
Archive CSM F.2. I. 39. D. 4, L.14
Vasily Dokuchaev was born on 1 March (February 17 by the Julian calendar) 1846 in the village of
Milyukovo, Smolensk region into the family of the priest Vasily Sergeyevich and Pelageya Trofimovna
Dokuchaev. Vasily was the youngest of seven children.
The house where the family lived and the church where the father served and the children were
baptised have not survived to the present.
The Dokuchaev family
Maria Efrosinya Anna Nikifor Timothy
Anastasia Vorobyova Sushchinskaya 1847 1840-1870-ies 1842-1899
sister sister (1835-1924) died young brother brother
sister
Uspenskaya, Vorobyova, Vorobyova, Sushchinskaya, Sushchinsky, Sushchinskaya, Sushchinsky, Sushchinsky,
Alexandra Antonina Sofya Olga Vasilyevna Ioan Alexandra Alexander Alexey
Ivanovna Ivanovna Ivanovna niece Vasilyevich Vasilyevna Vasilyevich Vasilyevich
niece niece niece nephew niece nephew nephew
Archive CSM F.2. I. 39. D. 15. P.1.
Archive CSM F.2. I. 39. D. 12. P.12. Sushchinsky, Sushchinsky,
Family archive of N. Vorona Konstantin Alexander
Ivanovich Nikolaevich
Vyazemsky Religious School at the Smolensk Seminary. The view of the city of Vyazma
Source: https://humus.livejournal.com/3145976.html?view=comments
After attending a parochial school in Milyukovo, at the age of 11 Dokuchaev enrolled at the Vyazemsky
Religious School at the Smolensk Seminary.
The Smolensk Theological Seminary
Source: https://drevo-info.ru/pictures/19181.html
The Smolensk Seminary Diploma of Dokuchaev's. Issued July 27, 1867.
Archive CSM copy from CGIA St. Petersburg. F.14. I.5. D.3550.
In 1867 Dokuchaev graduated with honours from the Smolensk Theological Seminary and was sent to
the St. Petersburg Theological Academy.
Imperial Saint Petersburg University
Source: https://museums.kpfu.ru/blog/news/lingvist-professor-buntovshhik-chast-
1/?template=popup
V. Dokuchaev as a seminary
student.
Archive CSM F.2. I. 39. D.1. P.5
After enrolling in the St Petersburg Theological Academy, he left it and almost immediately joined
the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the Imperial St Petersburg University.
V. Dokuchaev as the Guardian of the
Geological Cabinet.
Source: Article by P.V. Ototsky “The Life of
Dokuchaev”. “Eurasian Soil Science” journal . 1904
Diploma of the Imperial St. Petersburg University with the defense of
a thesis and the awarding of the Candidate’s degree. October 16, 1871. Approval of candidate V. Dokuchaev for the vacancy of
Archive CSM copy from CGIA St. Petersburg. F.14. I.5. D.3550. P.39 Guardian of the Geological Cabinet from September 18, 1872.
Archive CSM copy from CGIA St. Petersburg. F.14. I.1. D.7132. P.3.
The Geological Cabinet of St. Petersburg University
Source: http://nlr.ru/petersburg/spbpcards/vo/3.htm
Submission from the Council of St. Petersburg University for
the appointment of Master of Mineralogy and Geology Vasily
Dokuchaev as privat-docent to give lectures in Geology.
September 19, 1879.
Archive CSM copy from CGIA St. Petersburg. F.14. I.1. D.7192. P.16.
From 1870 Vasily Dokuchaev was lecturing in dynamic geology and petrography at the Imperial
University in St. Petersburg.
St. Petersburg University. Mineralogical Museum.
Archive CSM
View from the window of the office of Vasily
Dokuchaev on the Neva river and St. Isaac's
Cathedral. St. Petersburg University. Mineralogical classroom
Archive CSM Source: http://nlr.ru/petersburg/spbpcards/vo/3.htm
In 1879 Vasily Dokuchaev was appointed privat-docent of mineralogy and became head of the
department of mineralogy and crystallography at St. Petersburg University.
Explanatory text written by Vasily Dokuchaev The first soil map of European Russia by Vasily
for the soil map of the European Russia. Chaslavsky. 1879.
Archive CSM From the National Atlas of Soils of the Russian Federation
From 1875, Dokuchaev takes part in creating the first soil map of European Russia. Due to the death of
Vasily Chaslavsky in 1878, Dokuchaev had to complete the work himself and write an explanatory note for the
Cartography of Russian Soils map, which was published in 1879.
Soil sample selected by Vasily
Dokuchaev. Saratov region, Volsky
district, 5 miles West of the town of
Volsk. A pasture field.
Schematic map of the chernozem zone of European Russia, compiled by Vasily CSM GIK №1-132
Dokuchaev.
Archive CSM
In 1876, at the suggestion of Aleksey Khodnev and Aexander Sovetov, a special commission was organized
at the First Department the Imperial Free Economic Society to develop new research programs for Russian
chernozem. Vasily Dokuchaev was entrusted with drafting the working program of research and later its
execution.
During the summer months from 1877 to 1881, Vasily Dokuchaev was travelling over the chernozem zone of
European Russia (the total length of the route was over 10 thousand kilometers).
Showcase of the Pedological Museum of
Halls of the Pedological Museum of the Imperial Free
the Imperial Free Economic Society
Economic Society named after Vasily Dokuchaev.
named after Vasily Dokuchaev. Archive CSM F.5. I.1. D.4. P.4.
Archive CSM F.5. I.1. D.4. P.3.
Since 1879, Vasily Dokuchaev regularly raised the issue of the need for a soil science museum in Russia.
This dream came true only after his death through the efforts of his close student Pavel Ototsky.
The official opening of the Pedagogical Museum was held on 6 of November 1904 at the Imperial Free
Economic Society. Already at the time of its foundation the Museum was named after Vasily Dokuchaev.
The exhibition was based on a collection of soil samples and monoliths collected by Vasily Dokuchaev
and his students during expeditions, which had been displayed at various exhibitions since the 70s of the
19th century.
Anna Sinkler. Vasily Dokuchaev
Archive CSM F.2. I. 39. D.1. P.4 Archive CSM F.2. I. 39. D.2. P.8
Vasily Dokuchaev married Anna Sinkler in 1880.
By the time she met Vasily Dokuchaev, Anna Egorovna had experience of teaching and was
head of her own first-class boarding school for girls.
Assembly Hall of the Imperial St. Petersburg University.
Vasily Dokuchaev defended his doctoral thesis "Russian
Chernozem“ on December 19, 1883.
Source: http://nlr.ru/petersburg/spbpcards/vo/3.htm
The work on the study of the chernozem zone of European Russia evolved into Dokyuchaev’s doctoral
thesis entitled "The Russian Chernozem", which he defended at the Imperial Saint Petersburg University
on 19 December, 1883.
One of the official opponents for the thesis was Dmitry Mendeleev, who highly appreciated this work.
Vasily Dokuchaev as a
professor.
Archive CSM F.2. I. 39. D.1. P.5
Approval of Associate Professor of the University of St.
Petersburg, Doctor of Mineralogy and Geology, Privy
Diploma awarding the degree of Doctor of Mineralogy and Geognosy to Councilor Dokuchaev as Extraordinary Professor of this
Vasily Dokuchaev on the basis of his thesis "The Russian Chernozem", University. March 15, 1884.
which he defended on the 19th of December. Archive CSM copy from CGIA St. Petersburg. F.14. I.1,
Archive CSM copy from CGIA St. Petersburg. F.14, I.1. D.7192. P.62.
Materials on land assessment of the Nizhny Novgorod province.
Archive CSM
In 1882, the Nizhny Novgorod provincial zemstvo approached Vasily Dokuchaev with a proposal to
determine the qualities of the provincial soils with a precise marking of their boundaries. Under the
leadership of Dokuchaev, specialists trained by him completed the work in six years. The results were 14
issues of "Materials on land assessment of the Nizhny Novgorod Province" (one for each county of the
province), with a soil and geological map.
In this expedition, the methodology of soil mapping was created and developed, together with the
genetic classification of soils with four major classes of land-vegetation, land-swamp, swamp and
floodplain soils. The method of land appraisal was improved and the Dokuchaev concept of genetic soil
science was tested and extended to the northern soils.
Professors Vasily Dokuchaev and Alaxander Sovetov with their students and colleagues of Vasily Dokuchaev. From left to
right: top row: N. P. Adamov, D. I. Ivanovskij, S. K. Bogushevskij, P. V. Otocky, O. O. Silant'ev, V. K. Agafonov, V. A.
Transhel'. Middle row: K. D. Glinka, G. I. Tanfil'ev, A. V. Sovetov, V. V. Dokuchaev, P. A. Zemyatchenskij, A. R. Ferhmin,
M. I. SHeshukov. Bottom row: V. D. Batyushkov, P. A. Kryukov, I. P. Vydrin, M. K. Savich.
Archive CSM F.2. I.39. D.11. P.22
The general appreciation of the research in the Nizhny Novgorod province was confirmed by the proposal
to carry out a similar study of the lands of the Poltava province. Dokuchaev was in charge of the
expedition's research during 1888-1890. The staff of this expedition included N.M. Sibirtsev, P.A.
Zemiatchensky, A.R. Ferkhmin, who had already been on the Nizhny Novgorod expedition, as well as
younger students of Dokuchaev: V. I. Vernadsky, K. D. Glinka, P. V. Ototsky, B. B. Polynov, F. Yu. Levinson-
Lessing, and others.
State awards of Vasily Dokuchaev
Order of St Anne,
2nd class.
Source:
http://medalirus.ru/rus-
Order of St. Stanislaus,
ordena/orden-stanislava-3-
2nd class kapitulnyy.php
Source: http://medalirus.ru/
rus-ordena/orden-stanislava-
2.php
Vasily Dokuchaev
Archive CSM F.2. I. 39. D.1. P.2
Order of St. Stanislaus,
third class
Source: http://www.cabinet-
auction.com/auction/9287/0
85/
The main building of the New Alexandria Institute.
Photo from the album.
CSM GIK №2-9
The album presented to Vasily
Dokuchaev by the first class of the New
Alexandria Institute in 1892-1896.
CSM GIK №2-9
Vasily Dokuchaev was engaged in the development of agricultural education in Russia under the
Ministry of Public Education and the Department of Agriculture. In 1892, he was appointed the director
of New Alexandria Institute of Agriculture and Forestry and proceeds to radical reorganization of
teaching and curricula of the Institute. In 1894, the first department of genetic soil science was
established at the New Alexandria Institute. Higher agricultural education in Russia was reorganized
according to this model.
Soil exposition at the All-Russian
Industrial and Art Exhibition of
1896 in Nizhny Novgorod.
Archive CSM F.2. I.39. D.11. P.1, 2.
All-Russian Industrial and Art
Exhibition in Nizhny
Novgorod, 1896.
Source:
https://alumni.mgimo.ru/page/ada Soil sample No. 131 presented at
ptive/id31258/blog/4819502/?ssoRe the exhibition.
direct=true&ssoRedirect=true&sso CSM GIK №2-100
Redirect=true
Vasily Dokuchaev organized the Department of Soil Science at the All-Russian Exhibition in Nizhny
Novgorod in 1896.
Cavalier Order of Merit for
Farming.
Source:
Russian Pavilion. World Fair in Paris, 1900 https://www.monnaiedeparis.fr/e
Source: https://foto-history.livejournal.com/5163604.html. n/shop/national-orders/order-of-
the-agricultural-merit-knight- Vasily Dokuchaev.
miniature-0 Fragment of the photo.
Archive CSM
The soil collections were particularly successful at the World Exhibitions in Paris. In 1889 Vasily
Dokuchaev was awarded a gold medal and the Chevalier du mérite agricole (Order of Merit for Farming). In
1900, Vasily Dokuchaev and his pupils Vladimir Vernadsky, Nikolay Sibirtsev, Pavel Ototsky and others were
awarded the highest award - the Grand Prix.
Visitors particularly remembered a monster sample of chernozem from the Voronezh Province
(Paninskiy district) in 1900. It was about 9.7 m³ in size and was mounted on a high pedestal. After the
exhibition it was decided not to cut the monolith. It was given by lot to the Sorbonne, where it was kept
until 1968, when th sample and its display case were destroyed as a result of student riots. Today, the remains
of the monolith are preserved in the National Agronomic Institute.
In the autumn of 1900, Vasily Dokuchaev practically
ceases all communication with the outside world.
Vasily Vasilyevich Dokuchaev died on November 8, 1903
after a long illness.
The funeral was attended by Alexander Karpinsky,
Dmitry Mendeleev, Alexander Inostrantsev, numerous
friends and pupils of Dokuchaev, students, and delegates
from many educational institutions.
He is buried next to his wife Anna Egorovna Dokuchaeva
at the Smolensky Lutheran Cemetery in St. Petersburg.
Vasily Dokuchaev. Fragment of the photo.
Archive CSM
Smolensky Lutheran cemetery in Saint Petersburg. The graves of
Vasily Vasilyevich and Anna Yegorovna Dokuchaev.
Archive CSM
