Ivan Lyakhov
Encyclopedia
Ivan Lyakhov died around 1800, was a Russian merchant who explored large sections of the New Siberian Islands
in the 18th century.
Lyakhov began his explorations in the spring of 1770 on dogsleds in order to explore the islands off the northern Siberian coast reported by Yakov Permyakov
and Merkury Vagin
in 1710. In this journey he visited the southern section of the New Siberian Islands
. Lyakhov's intentions were mainly commercial, for he hoped to find mammoth
ivory. His theory was that both the islands he explored, and which were later named after him Lyakhov Islands
, and those he sighted in the distance but was not able to explore, were mainly formed by a substratum of bones and tusks of mammoths.
Lyakhov went on another exploratory venture to the New Siberian Islands in 1773-1774. He visited again the Lyakhov Islands, crossed the Sannikov Strait
and discovered Kotelny Island.
Lyakhov undertook his last expedition in 1775. This time there was a scientific background to his explorations, for he brought along with him a land surveyor. During this journey Great Lyakhovsky Island
(Большой Ляховский) was thoroughly surveyed and described.
New Siberian Islands
The New Siberian Islands are an archipelago, located to the North of the East Siberian coast between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea north of the Sakha Republic....
in the 18th century.
Lyakhov began his explorations in the spring of 1770 on dogsleds in order to explore the islands off the northern Siberian coast reported by Yakov Permyakov
Yakov Permyakov
Yakov Permyakov was a Russian seafarer, explorer, merchant, and Cossack.In 1710, while sailing from the Lena River to the Kolyma River, Permyakov observed the silhouette of two unknown island groups in the sea...
and Merkury Vagin
Merkury Vagin
Merkury Vagin was a Russian Arctic explorer.In 1712, together with Yakov Permyakov, Merkury Vagin explored the region of the eastern Laptev Sea coast, including Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Island, the southermost of the New Siberian Archipelago...
in 1710. In this journey he visited the southern section of the New Siberian Islands
New Siberian Islands
The New Siberian Islands are an archipelago, located to the North of the East Siberian coast between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea north of the Sakha Republic....
. Lyakhov's intentions were mainly commercial, for he hoped to find mammoth
Mammoth
A mammoth is any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus. These proboscideans are members of Elephantidae, the family of elephants and mammoths, and close relatives of modern elephants. They were often equipped with long curved tusks and, in northern species, a covering of long hair...
ivory. His theory was that both the islands he explored, and which were later named after him Lyakhov Islands
Lyakhovsky Islands
The Lyakhovsky Islands are the southernmost group of the New Siberian Islands in the arctic seas of eastern Russia. They are separated from the mainland by the Laptev Strait , and from the Anzhu Islands group by the Sannikov Strait...
, and those he sighted in the distance but was not able to explore, were mainly formed by a substratum of bones and tusks of mammoths.
Lyakhov went on another exploratory venture to the New Siberian Islands in 1773-1774. He visited again the Lyakhov Islands, crossed the Sannikov Strait
Sannikov Strait
Sannikov Strait is a 50 km-wide strait in Russia. It separates Anzhu Islands from Lyakhovsky Islands, and connects the Laptev Sea in the west with the East Siberian Sea in the east. It is named after Russian explorer Yakov Sannikov.-References:* Location: * Geographical names:...
and discovered Kotelny Island.
Lyakhov undertook his last expedition in 1775. This time there was a scientific background to his explorations, for he brought along with him a land surveyor. During this journey Great Lyakhovsky Island
Great Lyakhovsky Island
Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Island , or Great Lyakhovsky, is the largest of the Lyakhovsky Islands belonging to the New Siberian Islands archipelago between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea in northern Russia...
(Большой Ляховский) was thoroughly surveyed and described.