East Slavic tribes are more than a dozen different tribes that can be united under the concept of Eastern Slavs. Their tribal unions eventually merged into a single nationality, forming the basis of the Old Russian state. Over time, there was a political stratification of the Eastern Slavs, which allowed the formation of three main peoples by the 17th century - Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian.

Early history

Very little is known about the early history of the East Slavic tribes. Largely due to the fact that they did not have a written language. Only around 863 did the Glagolitic script, created specially by Byzantine linguists, appear.

Some information about the early history of the East Slavic tribes can be found in Arabic, Byzantine and Persian sources. The first original East Slavic documents date back to the 11th century. But very few of them have survived. Chronicles are considered the most reliable and complete sources. They began to be actively compiled after the adoption of Christianity, following the model of Byzantine chronicles.

The most complete of those that have survived to this day is The Tale of Bygone Years, which was written at the turn of the 11th-12th centuries. At the same time, the author is primarily interested in the Old Russian state, therefore, special attention is paid to the glades and Novgorod Slovenes, while information about the other tribes is extremely scarce.

The resettlement of the Eastern Slavs

The resettlement of the East Slavic tribes began actively in the 7th-8th centuries. Initially, glades lived along the Dnieper River, northerners settled in the north, mainly in the Desna region, and the Drevlyans occupied the northwestern regions.

Dregovichi settled between the Dvina and Pripyat, and the Polotsk people lived along the Polota River. The Krivichi received lands in the region of the Dnieper, Volga and Dvina.

On the Western and Southern Bug there were also territories of East Slavic tribes. Dulebs or Buzhans lived there, some of them eventually moved to the west, mixing with the Western Slavs.

The dominant role in which East Slavic tribes, where they lived, played customs and language, special ways of doing business. Agriculture (growing barley, wheat, millet) remained the key occupation for several centuries, some cultivated rye and oats. Massively bred poultry and cattle.

Anty

If we delve again into ancient history, we will find out that the Antes are one of the early Slavic tribes, from which many tribes of the Eastern Slavs originated. Nowadays, it has been possible to restore ideas about their life and economy as fully as possible.

Now it can be argued that the Antes lived in rural settlements, which were sometimes fortified. Mostly they were engaged in agriculture, arable business. Metalworking was widespread, archaeologists have repeatedly found bronze and iron workshops of the Ants. The East Slavic tribes and their neighbors not only fought with each other, but in peaceful periods they actively exchanged and conducted trade. First of all, we are talking about the Goths, Scythians, Sarmatians, Roman provinces.

Already at that time, the very first forms of social organization were being created, unions and associations were being formed.

Krivichi

One of the most famous East Slavic tribes is the Krivichi. They were mainly engaged in agriculture, handicrafts and cattle breeding. Their key cities included Smolensk, Izborsk, Polotsk. In a broad sense, it was a union of East Slavic tribes, which was finally formed in the VIII-X centuries. According to the most common hypothesis, the Krivichi became part of the Old Russian people. They belong to the East Slavic tribes along with other ancient tribes of that time.

By the 11th century, the Polotsk and Smolensk principalities and part of the Novgorod possessions were located on the territory of the Krivichi. We can get basic information about them from the Tale of Bygone Years, which states that they originate from the Polotsk people.

Where did the Krivichi live?

Krivichi settled most modern Belarus for several centuries. Dregovichi and radimichi neighbored with them. From ancient times, the Krivichi closely interacted with the Varangians, and the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII recalled them that they made boats that could go to Constantinople itself.

According to the most common version, in 980 the last prince of the Krivichi, whose name was Rogvolod, was killed. This was done by the Novgorod prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich.

After the formation of Kievan Rus, the Krivichi took part in the colonization of the eastern lands, partially assimilated there.

Vyatichi

Another important East Slavic tribe is the Vyatichi. They settled in the Oka basin in the VIII-XIII centuries. From the "Tale of Bygone Years" we can learn that in the 9th century the Vyatichi began to live under the Khazars, who were paid tribute. Management, as in most other neighboring tribes, was carried out by the prince and veche. Judging by the archaeological finds, the Vyatichi actively participated in international trade.

The power of the prince among the East Slavic tribes was very limited by a powerful veche, that is, a popular assembly. Moreover, it was it that was the initial governing body in the tribes, because it was precisely such an "organization" that invited Rurik to reign.

Presumably, it included adult men. All those who were in the meeting were united not by family ties, but by social social functions. Most likely, it was a highly militarized community.

In the second half of the 10th century, the Vyatichi were subordinated to Kievan Rus after the campaigns of Prince Svyatoslav.

Drevlyans

The names of the East Slavic tribes are largely determined by their place of residence. One of them, which deserves special mention, is the Drevlyans. Mostly they lived in the Ukrainian Polissya (forest, tree strip).

Until they were subjugated by Kievan Rus, they had a highly developed state organization. The political center of the tribe was based in the city of Iskorosten, eventually moved to Ovruch.

The Radimichi tribe is also known. They lived in the upper reaches of the Dniester and Dnieper. On the territory of modern Gomel and Mogilev regions of present-day Belarus. The first written evidence that confirms their existence dates back to the end of the 9th century.

As a result of archaeological excavations, a large number of burials of the Radimichi were discovered, which were carried out according to the rite of cremation. They are characterized by funeral pyres with oval outlines, while in such burial mounds the dead were laid on a fire in the direction from west to east. The structure of the funeral bonfires, which resembled the so-called domino-towers, is also noteworthy.

Most burial mounds do not contain the personal belongings of the deceased. Most likely, they burned to the ground on funeral pyres. By the way, the burial traditions were similar among other East Slavic tribes. For example, the Gnezdovsky burial mounds are known in the places where the Krivichi lived.

Kievan Rus

The ancient East Slavic tribes should include not only the Krivichi, Drevlyans and Vyatichi, but also the Polochans, Polyans, Pskov Krivichi, beasts, Bolokhovtsy, Buzhans, Narevyans, Severyans, Tivertsy, Radimichi.

Over time, they began to unite. The state, which included all the East Slavic tribes, is Kievan Rus.

It arose in the 9th century thanks to the dynasty of the Rurik princes, who united the East Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes.

At its peak, Kievan Rus occupied the territory from the Dniester in the west, the Taman Peninsula in the south, the Northern Dvina in the north, and the tributaries of the Volga in the east.

By the 12th century, feudal wars within the state began, in which about a dozen Russian principalities participated, led by representatives of different branches of the Rurik dynasty.

Kyiv lost its former grandeur and significance, the principality itself was in the collective possession of the princes, but Russia also existed later as an ethno-cultural region, which played a decisive role in the unification of the Slavic lands.

East Slavic unity

The unification of the East Slavic tribes dates back to the end of the 9th century. It was then that the Novgorod prince Oleg, who, most likely, was a Varangian by origin, decided to unite power over Novgorod and Kyiv in his hands. In the annals, this event dates back to 882.

As a result, a class of the early feudal Old Russian state is formed, from which Kievan Rus appeared. This moment was a turning point in the history of the Eastern Slavs. But not everything went smoothly. In some lands, princes from Kyiv met fierce resistance from local feudal lords, which was suppressed only with the help of weapons.

Drevlyane resistance

The Drevlyans turned out to be one of the most stubborn, the longest struggle was waged with them. When, during the next campaign, Prince Igor decided to collect a double tribute from the Drevlyans, they defeated his squad and took his own life.

Instead of Igor, his wife Olga became the ruler, who finally, using harsh measures, subordinated the Drevlyans directly to Kyiv. Their capital, which was in the city of Iskorosten, was completely destroyed.

At the same time, the centers of the East Slavic tribes were formed, which, ultimately, were subject to Kyiv. So, under Vladimir Svyatoslavich, the lands of the Vyatichi and the modern North Caucasus became part of Kievan Rus. When the early feudal state was finally formed, more favorable conditions were created for economic growth and maintaining security.

Soon, more favorable conditions began to form for economic growth and the maintenance of the country's security. But these processes were associated with restrictions on the freedoms of the peasants, as evidenced by numerous sources.

Neighbors of the Slavs

East Slavic tribes and their neighbors often cooperated with each other. In this article, we have already named several tribes with which the Slavs most often had to intersect.

Now let's look at this issue in more detail. In the west, the main neighbors of the Eastern Slavs were Germanic and Celtic tribes. Finno-Ugric peoples and Balts lived in the east, among them there were Sarmatians and Scythians, some of whom are considered the ancestors of modern Iranians. Over time, the Khazars and Bulgars began to oust them more and more actively.

From the south, the Greeks, Romans, Illyrians, and ancient Macedonians traditionally coexisted with the Slavs.

In the Byzantine chronicles, it was repeatedly emphasized that the proximity to the Slavic tribes turned into a real disaster. The neighborhood and numerous German peoples were also hard pressed, as daring raids were regularly made, as a result of which the most fertile lands were seized, residential buildings and outbuildings were destroyed.

The situation somewhat changed in the 6th century, when Turkic tribes arose in neighboring territories. They began to wage a fierce struggle with the Slavs for the lands located in the Danube and Dniester regions. Moreover, some Slavic tribes eventually went over to the side of the Turks, who set as their ultimate goal the capture of the Byzantine Empire. As a result of a long war, the Byzantines completely enslaved the Western Slavs, but the southern ones were able to defend their independence.

The ancient authors were sure that the lands that the Old Russian state later occupied were inhabited by wild and warlike Slavic tribes, who now and then were at enmity with each other and threatened more civilized peoples.

Vyatichi

The Slavic tribe of the Vyatichi (according to the chronicle, Vyatko was its ancestor) lived on a vast territory on which today the Smolensk, Kaluga, Moscow, Ryazan, Tula, Voronezh, Oryol and Lipetsk regions are located. According to anthropologists, outwardly the Vyatichi were similar to their northern neighbors, but differed from them in a higher nose bridge and in the fact that most of their representatives had blond hair.

Some scientists, analyzing the ethonym of this tribe, believe that it comes from the Indo-European root "vent" (wet), others believe that it comes from the Old Slavic "vęt" (large). Some historians see the kinship of the Vyatichi with the German tribal union of the Vandals, there is also a version that connects them with the tribal group of the Wends.

It is known that the Vyatichi were good hunters and skilled warriors, but this did not prevent them from being engaged in gathering, cattle breeding and slash-and-burn agriculture. Nestor the Chronicler writes that the Vyatichi mostly lived in the forests and were distinguished by their "bestial" disposition. They resisted the introduction of Christianity longer than other Slavic tribes, preserving pagan traditions, including “bride kidnapping”.

The Vyatichi most actively fought against the Novgorod and Kyiv princes. Only with the coming to power of Svyatoslav Igorevich, the conqueror of the Khazars, the Vyatichi were forced to moderate their warlike fervor. However, not for long. His son Vladimir (Saint) again had to conquer the obstinate Vyatichi, but Vladimir Monomakh finally conquered this tribe in the 11th century.

Slovenia

The northernmost Slavic tribe - Slovenes - lived on the banks of Lake Ilmen, as well as on the Mologa River. The history of its origin has not yet been clarified. According to a common legend, the ancestors of the Slovenes were the brothers Sloven and Rus; Nestor the Chronicler calls them the founders of Veliky Novgorod and Staraya Russa.

After Slovene, as the legend tells, Prince Vandal succeeded to power, taking the Varangian maiden Advinda as his wife. The Scandinavian saga tells us that Vandal, as the ruler of Slovenia, went to the north, east and west, by sea and land, having conquered all the surrounding peoples.

Historians confirm that the Slovenes fought with many neighboring peoples, including the Vikings. Having expanded their possessions, they continued to develop new territories as farmers, simultaneously entering into trade relations with the Germans, Gotland, Sweden, and even with the Arabs.

From the Joachim Chronicle (which, however, not everyone trusts), we learn that in the first half of the 9th century, the Slovenian prince Burivoj was defeated by the Varangians, who imposed tribute on his people. However, the son of Burivoy Gostomysl returned the lost position, once again subordinating the neighboring lands to his influence. It was the Slovenes, according to historians, who subsequently became the basis of the population of the free Novgorod Republic.

Krivichi

Under the name "Krivichi", scientists mean the tribal union of the Eastern Slavs, whose area in the 7th-10th centuries extended to the upper reaches of the Western Dvina, Volga and Dnieper. The Krivichi are known, first of all, as the creators of extended military mounds, during the excavations of which archaeologists were amazed by the variety and richness of weapons, ammunition and household items. The Krivichi are considered a related tribe of the Lutichi, characterized by an aggressive and ferocious disposition.

The settlements of the Krivichi were always located on the banks of the rivers along which the famous path "from the Varangians to the Greeks" went. Historians have established that the Krivichi interacted quite closely with the Varangians. So, the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus wrote that the Krivichi made ships on which the Rus go to Constantinople.

According to information that has come down to us, the Krivichi were active participants in many Varangian expeditions, both commercial and military. In battles, they were not much inferior to their warlike comrades-in-arms - the Normans.

After joining the Kyiv principality, the Krivichi took an active part in the colonization of the vast northern and eastern territories, known today as the Kostroma, Tver, Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Ryazan and Vologda regions. In the north, they were partly assimilated by the Finnish tribes.

Drevlyans

The territories of the settlement of the East Slavic tribe of the Drevlyans are mainly the modern Zhytomyr region and the western part of the Kyiv region. In the east, their possessions were limited by the Dnieper, in the north by the Pripyat River. In particular, the Pripyat swamps, according to historians, created a natural barrier that separated the Drevlyans from their neighbors, the Dregovichi.

It is not difficult to guess that the habitat of the Drevlyans is forests. There they felt like full owners. According to the chronicler Nestor, the Drevlyans differed markedly from the meek meadows that lived to the east: “The Drevlyans live in a bestial way, living like a beast: I kill each other, eat all unclean things, and they didn’t have a marriage, but a girl was washed away by the water.”

Perhaps, for some time, the meadows were even tributaries of the Drevlyans, who had their own reign. At the end of the 9th century, Oleg subjugated the Drevlyans. According to Nestor, they were part of the army with which the Kyiv prince "went against the Greeks." After the death of Oleg, the attempts of the Drevlyans to free themselves from the power of Kyiv became more frequent, but in the end they received only an increased amount of tribute imposed on them by Igor Rurikovich.

Arriving to the Drevlyans for another portion of tribute, Prince Igor was killed. According to the Byzantine historian Leo Deacon, he was seized and executed, torn in two (tied by the arms and legs to the trunks of two trees, one of which had been severely bent before, and then released). For a terrible and daring murder, the Drevlyans paid dearly. Driven by a thirst for revenge, the wife of the deceased prince Olga destroyed the Drevlyansk ambassadors who had come to woo her, burying them alive in the ground. Under Princess Olga, the Drevlyans finally submitted, and in 946 became part of Kievan Rus.

East Slavic tribes

East Slavic tribes and their neighbors

The Slavs appeared in Eastern Europe around the middle of the 1st millennium and lived on the lands located between the rivers Oder, Vistula, Dnieper, and from there they moved south (South Slavs), west (Western Slavs) and east ( East Slavs). Byzantine writers called the Slavs sklavins and antami

Modern East Slavs – Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians. In the early Middle Ages, they constituted a single Old Russian (or East Slavic) nationality, which was characterized by a common language, a homogeneous material and spiritual culture. I.e, East Slavs- an ethnohistorical concept. The history of the Eastern Slavs begins from the period when the East Slavic language (Indo-European family) emerged from the common Slavic (Proto-Slavic) language. It happened in the 7th-8th centuries.

In the VIII-IX centuries. Slavs occupied the territory from Lake Peipsi and Ladoga in the north to the Black Sea in the south - East European or Russian plain. A characteristic feature is the developed river system, the rivers are slowly flowing, but long. The largest river system Dniprovska. The territory of the Slavs is mostly forested.

East Slavic tribes

Buzhan- an East Slavic tribe that lived on the river. Bug.

Volynians- a union of tribes that inhabited the territory on both banks of the Western Bug and at the source of the river. Pripyat.

Vyatichi- an alliance of tribes that lived in the basin of the upper and middle reaches of the Oka and along the river. Moscow.

Drevlyans - tribal union, which occupied in the 6-10 centuries. the territory of Polissya, the Right Bank of the Dnieper, west of the glades, along the course of the Teterev, Uzh, Ubort, Stviga rivers.

Dregovichi- tribal union of Eastern Slavs.

Krivichi- tribal union of the Eastern Slavs 6-11 centuries. They occupied the territory in the upper reaches of the Dnieper, Volga, Western Dvina, as well as in the area of ​​Lake Peipus, Pskov and Lake. Ilmen.

Polochane- Slavic tribe, part of the tribal union of the Krivichi; lived along the banks of the river. Dvina and its tributary Polot, from which they got their name. The center of the Polotsk land was the city of Polotsk. Polotsk.

Glade - a tribal union of the Eastern Slavs, who lived on the Dnieper, in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe modern Kyiv. One of the versions of the origin of Russia, mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years, is associated with the glades.

Radimichi- East Slavic union of tribes that lived in the eastern part of the Upper Dnieper, along the river. Sozh and its tributaries in the 8th-9th centuries.

Russ- in the sources of 8-10 centuries. the name of the people who participated in the formation of the Old Russian state.

northerners-union of tribes that lived in the 9th-10th centuries. by pp. Desna, Seim, Sula.

Slovenian Ilmen - tribal union of Eastern Slavs in the territory Novgorod lands, mainly in the lands near the lake. Ilmen, next to the Krivichi.

Tivertsy-a union of tribes that lived in the 9th - early. 12th centuries on the river Dniester and at the mouth of the Danube.

Uchi- East Slavic union of tribes that existed in 9 - ser. 10th century According to The Tale of Bygone Years, convict lived in the lower reaches of the Dnieper, Bug and on the Black Sea.

POPOV Flegont Petrovich
Chisinau, 1986

EAST SLAVIC TRIBES BEFORE
FORMATION OF THE Kyiv STATE.

TRIBE NAMES.

NORTHERN GROUP.

SLOVENE NOVGOROD - one of the northern groups of Eastern Slavs. Slavic colonization of Priilmenye dates back to the 1st half of the 1st millennium AD. The Slavic tribes, having come from the south, assimilated the local Finno-Ugric population, as evidenced by the toponymy of this region. According to the annals, Slovenes lived near Lake Ilmen and the rivers adjacent to it. In the 6th-8th centuries, the Slovenes apparently formed a large tribal union. In the 9th century, the Slovenian territory formed the basis of the Novgorod land.

Krivichi - East Slavic tribe; inhabited the territory in the upper reaches of the Dnieper, Western Dvina and Volga. The Krivichi were engaged in agriculture and crafts. In the 9th century, Smolensk arose in the land of the Krivichi, apparently. In the 11th century - Toropets. Together with the Vyatichi and Novgorod Slovenes, they formed the basis of the Great Russian (Russian) people. In the 2nd half of the 9th century they were subject to the power of the Kyiv princes. The last mention of the Krivichi in the annals dates back to 1162.

POLOCHANES - East Slavic tribe. Polochans - the annalistic name of the Krivichi Slavs who lived along the Polot River (a tributary of the Western Dvina) and were part of the population of the Polotsk principality.

RADIMICHI - an East Slavic tribe that lived in the interfluve of the Dnieper and Desna rivers, along the Sozha and Iput rivers. In terms of culture, the Rodimichi were close to the Vyatichi and Northerners. The main occupation is agriculture; cattle breeding, hunting and beekeeping were also developed. The tribal centers of the natives are unknown. In the 9th century they became part of the Old Russian state. The last time they are mentioned in the annals is under 1069.

VYATICHI - an East Slavic tribe that lived along the upper Oka and its tributaries - the rivers Ugra, Moscow and others, and also, apparently, in the upper reaches of the Don. Vyatichi were engaged in agriculture, hunting and fishing. In the 11th-12th centuries, the cities of Moscow, Dedoslav and others arose on the land of the Vyatichi. In the 9th-10th centuries, the Vyatichi paid tribute to the Khazars. Around 981 they were subordinated to the Kyiv prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich. In the 12-13 centuries, the land of the Vyatichi was part of the Rostov-Suzdal, later - the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, later part of the Moscow principality. Vyatichi were an important constituent element of the Great Russian people. The name "Vyatichi" disappeared in the 14th century.

SOUTHERN GROUP.

POLYANES - one of the largest East Slavic tribes that lived in the middle Dnieper region. The meadows were engaged in arable farming and cattle breeding. Kyiv was the main city of Polyany. The higher level of socio-economic development of the Polyans in comparison with other East Slavic tribes was one of the factors that determined the promotion of the Middle Dnieper region as the center of the Old Russian state. The last mention of glades in the annals dates back to 944.

SEVERYANES - an East Slavic tribe that lived in the basin of the Desna, Seim and Sula rivers. In the reign of Oleg (late 9th - early 10th centuries) they were included in the Old Russian state. The last time they are mentioned is in 1024. By the name of the northerners, the territory of the Chernihiv principality until the end of the 17th century was called Seversk land. The main city of the Seversk land was Chernihiv.

DREGOVICHI - an East Slavic tribe living in the 9th-10th centuries between the Pripyat and Western Dvina rivers. The name "Dregovichi" comes, obviously, from the Slavic word "dryagva" - a swamp and indicates the nature of the area where this tribe lived. The Dregovichi were engaged in agriculture and crafts. The center of the Dregovichi was the city of Turov. Apparently, in the 2nd half of the 9th century, the Dregovichi were subordinated to the power of the Kyiv princes. After the middle of the 12th century, they are not mentioned in the sources.

DREVLYANS - an East Slavic tribe that lived in the 9th-10th centuries south of the Pripyat River. The name "Drevlyane", apparently, comes from the word "tree" and indicates the wooded nature of the area where this tribe lived. The Drevlyans were engaged in agriculture and crafts. According to The Tale of Bygone Years, in the 10th century, the Drevlyans still retained significant remnants of group marriage, blood feud, and pagan beliefs. The center of the Drevlyans was the city of Iskorosten. In the 2nd half of the 9th century, they were subject to the power of the Kyiv princes, who imposed tribute on the Drevlyans. In 945, the Drevlyans, led by their prince Mal, rebelled against Prince Igor and his squad, who were re-collecting tribute. After the murder of Igor by the Drevlyans, his wife, Princess Olga, destroyed Iskorosten and liquidated the independent reign of the Drevlyans. After 990, there is no mention of the Drevlyans in the annals.

DULEBS - a Slavic tribe that lived in the 6th-9th centuries along the Western Bug River; later became known as Volynians.

BUZHANES (VOLYNYANS) - a tribe of Eastern Slavs who lived in the basin of the upper reaches of the Western Bug (from which they got their name). Since the end of the 11th century, the Buzhans have been called Volynians.

VOLYNYANS - an East Slavic tribe that lived on the territory of modern Volhynia. According to the chronicle, the territory of the Volhynians and Buzhans (inhabitants of the Bug region) used to belong to the Dulebs, a tribe that was subjected to cruel oppression by the Avars in the 7th century. Volynians were engaged in agriculture and cattle breeding. The Arabic writer Masudi (10th century) reports the existence of the Valinana tribe, headed by King Majak. In the 9th - early 10th centuries, the Volynians became part of the Old Russian state.

CROATS - an East Slavic tribe that lived in the Carpathians.

STREETS (UGLICHI) - an East Slavic tribe that originally lived in the lower reaches of the Dnieper, and then settled between the Bug and the Dniester. The settlements of the streets reached the Black Sea. Since the middle of the 10th century, streets have been mentioned as part of Kievan Rus.

TIVERTS - Slavic tribe that lived in the 9th-11th centuries between the Dniester and the Danube.

SETTLEMENT OF THE SLAVES.

Narrating the resettlement of the Slavs, the chronicler tells how some Slavs "gray-haired along the Dnieper and crossed over the Polyana", others were called "Drevlyans" ("zane gray-haired in the forests"), the third, who lived between Pripyat and the Dvina, were called Dregovichi, the fourth lived along the course of the Polota River and were called Polochans. Slovenes lived near Ilmenskoye Lake, and northerners lived along the Desna, Seim and Sula.

Gradually, the names of other East Slavic tribes appear in the chronicler's story.

In the upper reaches of the Volga, Dvina and Dnieper live Krivichi, "their own city is Smolensk." “From the Krivichi” the chronicler brings out the northerners and the Polotsk people. The chronicler speaks of the inhabitants of the Bug region, who in ancient times were called Dulebs, and now Volynians or Buzhans. In the chronicler's story, the inhabitants of Posozhye - Radimichi, and the inhabitants of the Oka forests - Vytchi, and the Carpathian Croats, and the inhabitants of the Black Sea steppes from the Dnieper and Bug to the Dniester and Danube - Uchi and Tivertsy act. “This is the only Slovene language (people) in Russia,” the chronicler ends his story about the settlement of the Eastern Slavs.

The chronicles still remember those times when the Slavs of Eastern Europe were divided into tribes, when the Russian tribes “have their own customs and the law of their fathers and traditions, each their own temper” and lived “individually”, “each with their own family and in their own places, owning the skin of his kind.

But when the annalistic initial set was compiled (11th century), tribal life was already receding into the realm of legends. Tribal associations were replaced by new associations - political, territorial. The tribal names themselves disappear. Since the middle of the 10th century, the tribal name "Polyane" has been replaced by a new one - "Kiyans" (Kyivians), the area of ​​​​Polyany, "field", becomes Rus. The same thing happens in Volhynia and the Bug region, where the ancient tribal name of the inhabitants of the region - "Dulebs" - gives way to a new name - Volhynians and Buzhans (from the cities of Volyn and Buzhenka). The exception is the inhabitants of the dense forests of the Oka - the Vyatichi, who lived "individually", "of their kind" back in the 11th century.

From the Carpathian Mountains and the Western Dvina to the upper reaches of the Oka and Volga, from Ilmen and Ladoga to the Black Sea and the Danube, Russian tribes lived on the eve of the formation of the Kyiv state: Carpathian Croats, Danubian streets and Tivertsy, Pobuzh Dulebs or Volynians, inhabitants of the swampy forests of Pripyat - Dregovichi, Ilmensky Slovenia. The inhabitants of the dense Oka forests are Vyatichi. Numerous Krivichi of the upper reaches of the Dnieper, Western Dvina and Volga, the Dnieper northerners and other East Slavic tribes constituted a kind of ethnic unity "Slovenian language in Russia". It was the eastern, Russian branch of the Slavic tribes. Their ethnic closeness contributed to the formation of a single state, and consolidated a single state. It rallied the Slavic tribes into an ethnic array.

But the Russian tribes did not arise by themselves in a finished form with all the peculiarities of their language, way of life, culture, but were the result of a complex ethno- and glottogonic process. The chronicler's story about the settlement of Slavic tribes in Russia is the last act of the complex process of the formation of Russian tribes. The Tale of Bygone Years reflects only the last hours of the existence of tribal life. New production relations, the emergence of the state broke the old - tribal borders, rallied the masses within the new political borders, united on a new territorial basis. When the chronicler narrated about the East Slavic tribes, they had already ceased to exist, and many of them, if not all of them, for a long time, in essence, were not tribes, but unions of tribes.

Starting a conversation about the Eastern Slavs, it is very difficult to be unambiguous. There are practically no sources that tell about the Slavs in antiquity. Many historians come to the conclusion that the process of the origin of the Slavs began in the second millennium BC. It is also believed that the Slavs are a separate part of the Indo-European community.

But the region where the ancestral home of the ancient Slavs was located has not yet been determined. Historians and archaeologists continue to debate where the Slavs came from. Most often it is asserted, and Byzantine sources speak about this, that the Eastern Slavs already lived in the territory of Central and Eastern Europe in the middle of the 5th century BC. It is also believed that they were divided into three groups:

Wends (lived in the Vistula River basin) - Western Slavs.

Sklavins (lived between the upper reaches of the Vistula, Danube and Dniester) - southern Slavs.

Antes (lived between the Dnieper and the Dniester) - Eastern Slavs.

All historical sources characterize the ancient Slavs as people who have the will and love for freedom, temperamentally distinguished by a strong character, endurance, courage, and solidarity. They were hospitable to strangers, had pagan polytheism and thoughtful rituals. Initially, the Slavs did not have much fragmentation, since tribal unions had similar languages, customs and laws.

Territories and tribes of the Eastern Slavs

An important issue is how the development of new territories by the Slavs and their settlement in general took place. There are two main theories about the appearance of the Eastern Slavs in Eastern Europe.

One of them was put forward by the famous Soviet historian, academician B. A. Rybakov. He believed that the Slavs originally lived on the East European Plain. But the famous historians of the XIX century S. M. Solovyov and V. O. Klyuchevsky believed that the Slavs moved from the territories near the Danube.

The final settlement of the Slavic tribes looked like this:

Tribes	Places of resettlement	Cities
	The most numerous tribe settled on the banks of the Dnieper and south of Kyiv
Slovenian Ilmen	Settlement around Novgorod, Ladoga and Lake Peipsi	Novgorod, Ladoga
	North of the Western Dvina and the upper reaches of the Volga	Polotsk, Smolensk
Polochane	South of the Western Dvina
Dregovichi	Between the upper reaches of the Neman and the Dnieper, along the Pripyat River
Drevlyans	South of the Pripyat River	Iskorosten
Volynians	Settled south of the Drevlyans, at the source of the Vistula
White Croats	The most western tribe, settled between the rivers Dniester and Vistula
	Lived east of the White Croats
	The territory between the Prut and the Dniester
	Between the Dniester and the Southern Bug
northerners	Territories along the Desna River	Chernihiv
Radimichi	They settled between the Dnieper and the Desna. In 885 they joined the Old Russian state
	Along the sources of the Oka and Don

Occupations of the Eastern Slavs

The main occupations of the Eastern Slavs include agriculture, which was associated with the characteristics of local soils. Arable agriculture was widespread in the steppe regions, and slash-and-burn agriculture was practiced in the forests. Arable land was quickly depleted, and the Slavs moved to new territories. Such farming required a lot of labor, it was difficult to cope with the processing of even small plots, and the sharply continental climate did not allow counting on high yields.

Nevertheless, even in such conditions, the Slavs sowed several varieties of wheat and barley, millet, rye, oats, buckwheat, lentils, peas, hemp, and flax. Turnips, beets, radishes, onions, garlic, and cabbage were grown in the gardens.

The main food was bread. The ancient Slavs called it "zhito", which was associated with the Slavic word "to live".

Slavic farms bred livestock: cows, horses, sheep. Crafts were of great help: hunting, fishing and beekeeping (collection of wild honey). Fur trade has become widespread. The fact that the Eastern Slavs settled along the banks of rivers and lakes contributed to the emergence of shipping, trade and various crafts that provide products for exchange. Trade routes also contributed to the emergence of large cities and tribal centers.

Social order and tribal unions

Initially, the Eastern Slavs lived in tribal communities, later they united into tribes. The development of production, the use of draft power (horses and oxen) contributed to the fact that even a small family could cultivate their allotment. Family ties began to weaken, families began to settle separately and plow new plots of land on their own.

The community remained, but now it included not only relatives, but also neighbors. Each family had its own piece of land for cultivation, its own tools of production and the harvest. Private property appeared, but it did not extend to forests, meadows, rivers and lakes. The Slavs shared these benefits.

In the neighboring community, the property status of different families was no longer the same. The best lands began to be concentrated in the hands of the elders and military leaders, and they also got most of the booty from military campaigns.

At the head of the Slavic tribes began to appear rich leaders-princes. They had their own armed detachments - squads, and they also collected tribute from the subject population. The collection of tribute was called polyud.

The 6th century is characterized by the unification of Slavic tribes into unions. The most powerful militarily princes led them. Around such princes, the local nobility gradually strengthened.

One of these tribal unions, as historians believe, was the union of the Slavs around the Ros (or Rus) tribe, who lived on the Ros River (a tributary of the Dnieper). Later, according to one of the theories of the origin of the Slavs, this name passed to all the Eastern Slavs, who received the general name "Rus", and the whole territory became the Russian land, or Rus.

Neighbors of the Eastern Slavs

In the 1st millennium BC, the Cimmerians were neighbors of the Slavs in the Northern Black Sea region, but after a few centuries they were supplanted by the Scythians, who founded their own state on these lands - the Scythian kingdom. Later, the Sarmatians came from the east to the Don and the Northern Black Sea region.

During the Great Migration of Nations, the East German tribes of the Goths passed through these lands, then the Huns. All this movement was accompanied by robbery and destruction, which contributed to the resettlement of the Slavs to the north.

Another factor in the resettlement and formation of Slavic tribes was the Turks. It was they who formed the Turkic Khaganate on the vast territory from Mongolia to the Volga.

The movement of various neighbors in the southern lands contributed to the fact that the Eastern Slavs occupied territories dominated by forest-steppes and swamps. Communities were created here that were more reliably protected from alien raids.

In the VI-IX centuries, the lands of the Eastern Slavs were located from the Oka to the Carpathians and from the Middle Dnieper to the Neva.

nomad raids

The movement of nomads created a constant danger for the Eastern Slavs. Nomads seized bread, livestock, burned houses. Men, women and children were taken into slavery. All this required the Slavs to be in constant readiness to repel raids. Every Slavic man was also a part-time warrior. Sometimes the land was plowed by armed men. History shows that the Slavs successfully coped with the constant onslaught of nomadic tribes and defended their independence.

Customs and beliefs of the Eastern Slavs

The Eastern Slavs were pagans who deified the forces of nature. They worshiped the elements, believed in kinship with various animals, and made sacrifices. The Slavs had a clear annual cycle of agricultural holidays in honor of the sun and the change of seasons. All rituals were aimed at ensuring high yields, as well as the health of people and livestock. The Eastern Slavs did not have a single idea of ​​\u200b\u200bGod.

The ancient Slavs did not have temples. All rituals were performed at stone idols, in groves, in glades and in other places revered by them as sacred. We must not forget that all the heroes of the fabulous Russian folklore come from that time. Goblin, brownie, mermaids, water and other characters were well known to the Eastern Slavs.

In the divine pantheon of the Eastern Slavs, the leading places were occupied by the following gods. Dazhbog - the god of the Sun, sunlight and fertility, Svarog - the blacksmith god (according to some sources, the supreme god of the Slavs), Stribog - the god of wind and air, Mokosh - the female goddess, Perun - the god of lightning and war. A special place was given to the god of the earth and fertility Veles.

The main pagan priests of the Eastern Slavs were the Magi. They performed all the rituals in the sanctuaries, turned to the gods with various requests. The Magi made various male and female amulets with different spell symbols.

Paganism was a clear reflection of the occupations of the Slavs. It was the worship of the elements and everything connected with it that determined the attitude of the Slavs to agriculture as the main way of life.

Over time, the myths and meanings of pagan culture began to be forgotten, but much has come down to our days in folk art, customs, and traditions.