Petr Godunov

Year of birth unknown; died in 1670. Stol’nik (officer in the tsar’s court) and voevoda (military commander) in Tobol’sk, 1667–70.

Godunov promoted the development of the agriculture of Siberia and the fortification of its borders. In 1667, the first known map of Siberia—the Chertezh (sketch)—was drawn up under his direction. The Chertezh reflected all of the Russian geographical discoveries of the time, provided a rather accurate outline of the drainage networks of Siberia and the Far East, and showed the most important cities and areas of settlement of the tribes inhabiting Siberia. In addition, Godunov compiled the Gazetteer of the Land of China and Deepest India, which was later translated into modern Greek and included in many chronicles. The Gazetteer contains diverse (principally geographic and ethnologic) material on China.