Journey to the Land of Ophir

Journey to the Land of Ophir is a utopian fantasy written by Mikhayl Mikhaylovich Shcherbatov in 1784. Shcherbatov, an 18th-century Russian ideologue and historian, used this work to depict an idealized Russia where Peter I's Westernizing reforms were reversed. In this vision, the traditional social hierarchy was restored, with hereditary nobility and serfs in their perceived "natural" and unequal roles. The work reflects Shcherbatov's conservative views and his support for a strong, aristocratic state, contrasting with Enlightenment ideals. Ophir itself is an unidentified region from the Old Testament, known for its gold, ivory, and other precious goods, with proposed locations including Arabia, East Africa, and India.12