In the 18th century, the Urals became not only a center of industrial development but also a place for the emergence of exact and humanitarian sciences about the region.

One of the first historians of Southern Ural can be considered Petr Ivanovich Ryichkov. He was born on October 1, 1712, in Vologda to a merchant family that earned a living by selling bread. That same year, the family lost their income and moved to Moscow. There, Petr Ivanovich learned German and Dutch and mastered the profession of an accountant.

In 1730, the energetic young man began working in the office of the Yamburg glass factories. A few years later, he was transferred to the customs service in St. Petersburg, where he utilized his language and accounting skills. In the capital, he met Ivan Kirilovich Kirilov, who invited him to participate in the Orenburg expedition.

In Orenburg, Ryichkov worked in the governor's office, dealing with "secret and foreign affairs." For his diligence, he was granted land in the Orenburg region.

As he settled in the Urals, Petr Ivanovich began to study the region. In the 1750s, he published two significant studies: "History of Orenburg" and "Topography of Orenburg." The first work contains details about the history of the indigenous peoples of Southern Ural, the construction of cities, and social and military aspects. "Topography of Orenburg" served as an explanation for the atlas of the region, created under Ryichkov's guidance in 1755. This work was highly regarded by Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov.

In total, Ryichkov published more than 60 scientific works on the history of Southern Ural. In 1759, he became a corresponding member of the Petersburg Academy of Sciences for his contributions.

Petr Ivanovich was not only a researcher but also a skilled manager. In 1777, he was transferred to Yekaterinburg as the manager of the Ural factories. However, he did not work there long, as he passed away that same year at his estate in Spasskoye.