KURGAN

kurgan, a town (founded 1553) of west siberia, in the government of tobolsk, on the siberian railway, 160 m. e. of chelyabinsk, and on the left bank of the tobol, in a wealthy agricultural district. pop. (1897), 10,579. owing to its position at the terminus of steam navigation up the river tobol, it has become second only to tyumen as a commercial centre. it has a public library and a botanic garden. there is a large trade in cattle with petropavlovsk, and considerable export of grain, tallow, meat, hides, butter, game and fish, there being three large fairs in the year. in the vicinity are a great number of prehistoric kurgans or burial-mounds.