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Map of Russia in 1725, drawn by Philip Johan von Strahlenberg

Philip Johan von Strahlenberg (1676 — 1747) was a Swedish officer and geographer of German origin who made important contributions to the cartography of Russia. Strahlenberg was born in Stralsund, which then belonged to Sweden, and his original name was Philip Johan Tabbert. He joined the Swedish army in 1694 and was promoted captain in 1703. In 1707, he was ennobled and took the name von Strahlenberg.

Taking part in the Great Northern War, he was captured by the victorious Russian forces during the Battle of Poltava in 1709. As a prisoner of war, he was sent to Tobolsk, where he lived from 1711 to 1721. During this time, he studied the geography of Siberia and the anthropology, languages and customs of its native tribes. After returning to Stockholm in 1730, he published his book Russia, Siberia, and Great Tartary (Russia Observed) with the results of his studies. The book was well received and soon translated into English, French and Spanish.

As part of his book, Strahlenberg drew new maps of all of Russia - a formidable task in itself. He also suggested a definite border between the continents of Europe and Asia in Russian territory. This border, follows the peaks of the Urals, and then the lower Emba and the coast of the Caspian Sea, before passing through the Kuma-Manych Depression. Vasily Tatischev claimed that it was at his suggestion that Strahlenberg adopted the idea.[1] See Transcontinental nation for the current political and geographical debates about the Europe-Asia border.

Strahlenberg's book also extensively deal with the languages and customs of the Tartars, Yakuts, Chuvash, Crimean Tartars, Uzbeks, Bashkirs, Kirghiz, Turkmen Tartars and Mongols. In writing about the shamanic rituals about the indigenous peoples of Siberia, he noted their use of the fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria) in their rituals.

Philip Johan von Strahlenberg: Russia, Siberia, and Great Tartary (Russia Observed)

• Works by and about Philip Johan von Strahlenberg in the German National Library catalogue
• Strahlenberg's description of shamanic rituals