THE HISTORIOGRAPHY OF HISTORY RUSSIAN–KHIVAN TRADE AND THE IMPORT OF METALS IN THE 16TH–19TH CENTURIES

Abstract

This study examines the role of Russian–Khivan trade in the supply of raw metals and manufactured goods to the Khiva Khanate from the 16th to the early 20th centuries. Archival records and travel accounts indicate that despite prohibitions on the export of iron, copper, lead, and steel from Russia, these commodities reached Khiva through contraband and diplomatic channels. Khivan merchants acted as intermediaries, importing cast iron, steel, and copper from Orenburg, Astrakhan, and the Nizhny Novgorod Fair, while exporting cotton, wool, hides, and fruits. By the mid-19th century, Central Asia had become the destination for up to 60% of Russia’s metal exports, underscoring its strategic importance. Sources highlight the continued flow of iron, cast iron, copper, and steel into Khiva, which sustained the growth of local blacksmithing and metalworking crafts. Statistical data confirm that by 1909 the Khanate imported nearly one million poods of goods, including over 100,000 poods of iron and cast-iron products. These findings illustrate that trade with Russia was the primary means of supplying Khiva with metals, crucial for its economic and artisanal development.