Applied and Industrial Activities of the Gypsy Population of Russia in the 19th – first third of the 20th Centuries

Stable stereotypes, sometimes of a negative nature, have developed about the daily routine and way of life of the Gypsy population of Russia. However, the real life of the Roma communities was different. Historically, the Romani population of the southern regions was predominantly sedentary rather than nomadic. Most of the camps in the northern regions led a semi-nomadic lifestyle, selling the products of their craft, various goods, or taking temporary jobs. There are very few professional scientific studies on the industrial structure of Russian Gypsies. The purpose of this study is to reveal the essence and development of the industrial lifestyle of Russian Gypsies and to identify further research objectives on this topic. The article briefly highlights the main types of Gypsy industrial crafts and works in different regions of the Russian Empire and in the pre-war period of the USSR. The study uses the materials of the author's field research, carried out over many years, as well as unpublished documents introduced into scientific circulation for the first time.