摘要:The article discusses the possibilities of the journal "Nature and People" to be a reliable source on the history of the northern peoples of the Russian Empire. The methodology related to the identification of periodicals as historically accurate sources. Based on the criteria necessary for the interpretation of sources, a selection is made of publications that correspond to the reliability of the historical source. The periodical press is one of the recognized historical sources containing the description of economic, political, social, religious, and cultural processes. The analysis of the methodology associated with the source value of periodicals indicates the validity of the choice of the journal "Nature and People" as a source on the history of the peoples of the Russian Empire at the beginning of the XX century. An analysis is made of the 1910 publications. A classification of publications on the ethnography of northern peoples (Tungus, Yakuts, Bessermians and others) is given. As a result, the main topics of publications about the northern peoples of the Russian Empire are highlighted. The essays of the journal "Nature and People" contain geographical, geological, ecological, ethnographic and historical data that either supplement the existing descriptions, or are unique and accompanied by original author's judgments. Issues of the journal "Nature and People" in 1910 contain historical material valuable for the study of the history of the northern peoples of the Russian Empire. Until now, the materials of this periodical have not been included in the ethnography of Russian peoples and have not been taken into account in historiography. This deficiency must be corrected, and the ethnographic essays of the journal must be recognized as an important source for the study of the history of the Northern peoples of the Russian Empire.