The seventh volume includes the works of a prominent scientist and traveler of the 19th century G. N. Potanin (183 -1920). The historical and ethnographic material scrupulously collected by him gives the reader a complete picture of the life and customs of the tribes and peoples of Central Asia. The desire to obtain information first-hand acts as a research credo of a scientist who is aware of the relevance and significance of the information revealed for his time.