Semyon Dezhnev and the exploration of Siberia

The Explorers Podcast

Matt Breen

Education, History, Society & Culture

4.9 • 1.7K Ratings

🗓️ 17 March 2026

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In 1648, a Russian expedition with seven boats and 90 men set out on the Arctic Ocean – above Siberia – to find rich lands to the east. The expedition would – in time – be led by Semyon Dezhnev – a Cossack. The Russians would be nearly killed due to storms, starvation, disease and hostile natives. But Dezhnev would survive – and go on to the first European to pass through the Bering Strait. He then spent 14 years exploring the northeast of Siberia – opening up the region for the Russian Empire. Sponsors: Quince. Get free shipping with your order by using code EXPLORERS at quince.com/explorers Factor. Go to factormeals.com/explorers50off and use code explorers50off for 50 percent off and free breakfast for a year. New subscribers only, varies by plan. 1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year while subscription is active. The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to an Airwave Media podcast.
0:04.6	Everybody shush!
0:05.9	William Shatner has something to say.
0:07.9	Cat and Jethro, box of oddities.
0:10.7	The show examines weird things.
0:13.4	What do you do when the woman you love dies?
0:17.3	Well, of course you dig her up and you live with her.
0:19.4	Aw.
0:19.9	That is really mysterious.
0:22.4	The strange, the bizarre, the unexpected.
0:26.3	Cat and Jethro, Box of Oddities.
0:29.0	Listen on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
0:32.5	The Box of Oddities.
0:45.7	Let us go! of oddities. Hello and welcome to the Explorers podcast. Today we have a one-and-done topic, this on Russian explorer,
0:52.2	Simeon Degnev. In the mid-1600s, Dejnev explored vast areas of
0:56.9	Siberia and became the first European to sail through the Bering straight, 80 years before Vida's
1:02.1	Bering did so. I have a few notes for today's episode. First, if it helps you, there is a map of
1:07.6	key locations on our website, Explorespodcast.com.
1:15.6	Second, as we are in Siberia for this episode, there are lots of Russian words.
1:17.7	Sorry if I mess up any of them.
1:23.2	Third, like many of our more obscure tales, this one is very light on source material.
1:28.0	1600 Siberia was not exactly the most sophisticated of places.
	...

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