The problem of ethnogenesis of the Eastern Slavs, or Why does our history have white spots?

Ethnogenesis of the Slavs engaged in anthropology, archeology, linguistics, anthroponymics and many other sciences.

In general, the Slavs, as a community of people, emerged and developed like other ethnic groups inhabiting the territory of Western and Central Europe. During the Paleolithic period, these were tribes that combined the need for joint food production and protection against the claims of other tribes. At this stage the Slavs were not separated into a separate ethnic group. In any case, it is not possible to trace it to scientists. The problems of the ethnogenesis of the Eastern Slavs began about the 12th-10th centuries BC.

At the specified time tribal communities appear that jointly own property and more or less fairly distribute the production. Knowledge and skills of people from generation to generation grow and approximately to VI-V millennium BC they improve weapons, domesticate the first animals, and later develop agriculture. The most important event at this stage was the discovery of metals, first copper, then bronze, and later iron. The problem of ethnogenesis of the Eastern Slavs is gaining new development. Those who mastered the science of making metal and had raw materials for this turned out to be in a more favorable position. The rest either bought or exchanged the desired, or won.

The problem of ethnogenesis of the eastern Slavs of this period is seen in the discrepancy, and sometimes also the inconsistency of the results of studies conducted by different sciences. Fortunately, other nations, for example, the Greeks, by that time were unusually developed, erected marble temples, built complex irrigation systems, pools, sewers, and knew the written language. Thanks to the records of ancient Greek scholars, we can confidently say that by the middle of the 6th century BC the Slavs already existed. Byzantine historians divided them into sklavinov and Antes, who lived outside the northern border of Byzantium. Their habitat lay between the Dnieper (Jordan) and the Danube (Istra) on one side, and on the other hand stretched from the Vistula (Whiskey), the Elbe and the Oder (Procopia). For intelligent Greeks, our ancestors, who lived in houses that looked like dugouts and did not even know writing, seemed barbarians. In fact, the ancient Slavs were able to make and decorate pottery with ornaments, draw, create various figures, mostly beasts and birds, had the foundations of religion. Unfortunately, during this period they abandoned the belief in reincarnation and began to cremate the dead, which makes archaeological research difficult.

Herodotus, in addition to antes and sklavins, mentions Venedov, the people who lived in the lower reaches of Vichkly. Venedov many scientists consider the Slavs themselves. Who exactly from the Indo-European tribes inhabiting the European territories is their ancestor, the science of the answer does not give. The problem of ethnogenesis of the Eastern Slavs lies in the lack of knowledge of this issue due to lack of data. Linguists base the development of the ethnos of the Eastern Slavs on the study of common words and terms that are found in many peoples, and on the basis of linguistic features, the Slavs are associated with Italians and pobalts.

Geneticists base their findings on the study of the male Y chromosome, which is required to store information about common ancestors. The problem of the ethnogenesis of the Eastern Slavs here lies in the multiple crossings of the genetic fund of tribes, which is associated with migrations and endless wars of conquest. Genetics with a high probability of Balts are called the ancestors of the Slavs as a whole. At the same time, the northern Slavs associate with the Finno-Ugric Finns, the Western Slavs with the Celts, and the southern Slavs with the Thracians. The ancestral home for the Eastern Slavs is determined by the territory of modern Ukraine. This is confirmed by archaeological excavations and a detailed study of Prague-Korchakovo and Prague-Penkov cultures. Although others associate the Slavs with the Chernyakhov culture, that is, with the Goths. In those tough times there were frequent bloody battles between the tribes.

The Slavs, under the pressure of circumstances, went to undeveloped territories, settling along the banks of rivers and lakes, what caused the names of the ancient communities. Vyatichi, Krivichi, Drevlyane, Glade and others appeared. People surrounded their settlements with moats, they were renovated with high strong walls. They were called principals because they were ruled by princes. In wartime, these were prince-commanders. They were helped by a loyal squad, which was gathering people. In peacetime, the rule was exercised by the princes of the unions of communities, whose authority was much more multilateral. The council of elders and people's congregations, called veche, helped to solve the affairs of the communities to the princes.

By this time the pagan religion was finally formed.

The paganism of the Eastern Slavs is rooted in totemism and fetishism. The priests believed that they descended from any animals, they could also turn into them. They made totems of worship (small figures of animals that are found during excavations). Many Russian fairy tales, for example, a fairy tale about a princess-frog, this is indirectly confirmed. Also, the Slavs worshiped the objects of nature, trees, ponds, forests and so on. Subsequently, the spirits of ancestors were selected as objects for worship. There are water, forestry, brownies. The last stage of paganism is faith in the gods. The Slavs had gods of nature and phenomena, the main one being the god of thunder and lightning Perun. Worshiping him and other pagan gods, the Slavs erected temples (open sites for rituals), performed rites, according to individual sources accompanied by human sacrifices.

The further division of labor, the development of trade, the growth of the well-being of some sections of the population and the impoverishment of others led society to the birth of statehood. The first such state among the ancient Slavs was Kievan Rus.