The panorama of the beginning of Rus'

In the field of history and archeology of ancient Rus', as in another field of historical knowledge, large, comprehensive monographs have particular value, and each such study becomes an event and does not lose relevance for many decades.

It is enough to recall the famous two -volume "Ancient Kyiv" M.K. Karger and "Architecture of North-East Rus'" N.N. Voronin, later "Russian medieval aesthetics of the XI-XVIII centuries." V.V. Bychkova or collective monograph “Artistic and aesthetic culture of ancient Rus' of the XI-XVII century”, in which the heads were written by such outstanding researchers as D.S. Likhachev, A.I. Comfort, G.K. Wagner, P.A. Rappoport et al.

The new publication “Rus' in the 9th-10th centuries”, released by the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, continues the tradition of such works designed to cover a large layer of knowledge and form a certain whole picture. That is why the book has an subtitle of the “archaeological panorama”, although the case in this edition is not limited to archeology.

862, summer 6370s, the collection is dedicated to the anniversary of the book-the date, of course, is very conditional. The Russian state was formed for a long time, and one state will not be able to create one “vocation of Rurik”. It is difficult to choose as the “starting point of Rus'” - even the first mention of Rus' in the sources has several dates (in the western - 838, in Russian chronicles - 850, in Byzantine texts - 860), and the point of the final formation of the state - different specialists choose different events, from the death of Svyatoslav (972) to the death of Vladimir (1015) and even the beginning of a lady reign) Yaroslav (1036).

The main goal of the collection is to give a more or less complete picture of modern knowledge about the archeology of the emerging Russian state throughout its space, written by leading researchers, who for many years led (and lead) excavations where Rus' arose.

It is enough to simply scroll through this luxurious, perfectly illustrated book. The heads of its four main parts cover the north-west, north-east, west and south of the initial Rus', while neither the main centers of the formation of the Russian state, nor the “ordinary” settlements were ignored.

E.N. Nosov, who has long studied Rurikovo settlement, is a place in relation to which Novgorod has become a “new city”. N.V. Lopatin, about the Belo-Oser of Sineus-S.D. Zakharov. Of course, neither Pskov (E.A. Yakovleva, E.A. Salmina, E.V. Koroleva), nor the surroundings of the lakes of Nero and Pereshevo-ancient Rostov and Pereslavl (A.E. Leontiev), nor Suzdal Opera, the chapter of which were written by the responsible editor of the collection of archeology N.A. Makarov. The chapters dedicated to the famous Gnezdova (T.A. Pushkin, V.V. Murashev, N.V. Eniosov) and always complex, always carrying surprises and regularly reviewing archeology of Kyiv (A.V. Komar) are very interesting.

There are chapters separately considering the mounds of the Yaroslavl Volga region (N.G. Nedoshivina, S.S. Zozul), archeology of Chernigov and the lower reaches of the Desna (A.V. Komar), Polotsk Earth (I.V. Yeremeyev), archeology of the Desna, Sejm, the Verkhovs of Don and Oka (A.V. Grigoryev).

As a result, the reader of the book sees a temporary section of all more or less significant centers of crystallization of the Old Russian state for the period of the 9th-10th centuries-and not only the history of excavations of these places, but also a modern vision of how these centers were formed, how they grew and became part of the new state.

Even if the collection was limited to these four parts, it would have already become an event for all those who study ancient Rus', but its plan was even wider. The first part whose heads were written by A.V. Nazarenko and A.A. The Hippius is devoted to written sources about Rus' of the 9th-10th centuries as a variety of foreign chronicles, annals, letters, etc., the list of which has significantly expanded in recent decades (and many still remain non-transposed and not published in Russian), and the beginning of the Russian chronicle itself. Chapter A.A. Hippius is called - "Before and after the initial arch: the early annalistic story of Rus'." In addition, N.A. Makarov devoted a separate chapter to archaeological antiquities as a historical source.

The final part of the book could well be released by a separate scientific monograph and a popular science book. It is called "the formation of Rus': space and power." One chapter is devoted to trade routes in Eastern Europe and trade relations between Rus' with the rest of the world (head of A.E. Leontyev and E.N. Nosov). Another chapter represents the sum of modern knowledge about the very rare first coins of the Russian state, gold and cutsmen of Vladimir, Svyatopolk and Yaroslav. This interesting and most complete review today with V.A. Kalinin wrote a wonderful numismatist and sprayist P.G. Gaidukov, Deputy Director of the Institute of Archeology. Another bright chapter of the collection is devoted to the evolution of the princely signs of the Rurikovich, one of whom became the small coat of arms of modern Ukraine. Unfortunately, this chapter is the posthumous publication of A.A. Molchanova (1947-2010).

In reviews, it is usually customary to indicate disadvantages. The authors themselves say what else could be done. For example, in the book, in their opinion, there is no separate section dedicated to the friendly antiquities, the issue of the formation of the military elite of Rus', the relations of Rus' and Scandinavia, the pagans of Ancient Rus'.

Well, one can also express the wishes: since the book went beyond the archaeological panorama and included source studies and general historical searches, for a greater completeness of the picture of the initial Rus', it would be possible to include in the book and chapters that analyze this time from the point of view of a linguist and anthropologist, as well as the chapter about the very beginning of stone construction. Although this, of course, is more likely the personal addictions of the author of the review.

In any case, the circulation of 1200 copies of this book, which practically did not appear on open sale, is very small. I want her every chapter to see the light in the form of popular material.