The Place of Dereva and Volhynia in Norse–Slav Relations
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
SITUNE DEI 2009 The place of Dereva and Volhynia in Norse–Slav relations in the 9th to 11th centuries Fedir Androshchuk Abstract. This paper deals with two Ukrainian ‘lived in the forest like any wild beast’. To regions mentioned in historical sources as the east, the land of ‘Derevlians’ bordered ‘Dereva’ and ‘Volhynia’ which were highly in- the land of Kiev. From the end of the 10th volved in contacts between Slavs and Norse- century, the area settled by the Derevlians men. Rich and exclusive finds of Byzantine, was incorporated into the land of Kiev, Slavonic and Scandinavian origins are exam- which then had its western border along the ined in connection with the social and econom- Goryn River. The two main cities in the land ical background of both regions. of the Derevlians mentioned by the Chroni- cles were Iskorosten and Vruchij (which are ny Swedish archaeologist dealing with the modern towns of Korosten and Ovruch Athe archaeology of Sigtuna is familiar in Zhytomyr oblast of Ukraine). It is the with a very particular and numerous artefact area around Vruchij which is famous for the namely spindle-whorls of a light-red stone quarrying and working of the above-men- (fig. 1). This kind of stone is sometimes tioned light-red schist, which has been dis- called ‘Volhynian schist’, however, this is covered at Sigtuna and other sites across not entirely correct. It is known from the Northern Europe. In the following article I written sources that in medieval time term will try to show that the cultural contacts be- ‘Volhynia’ was applied to the large region tween Sweden and the above-mentioned re- between the Bug and the Goryn rivers in the gions of Ukraine have a long history and Ukraine (Stryzhak 1985:34; fig. 2). Before stretch back to the time before Sigtuna was the 11th century, when the term ‘Volhynia’ established. was established, the names of two groups of Slavonic people, namely the Dulebians and Written sources about the history Buzhians, were used. The people who in- of Iskorosten habited the area situated to the east of the According to the Novgorod Chronicle, Bug River were known as the Derevlians, Prince Igor brought Derevlians under who according to the Laurentian Chronicle Kiev’s authority in 883, while in the 7 FEDIR ANDROSHCHUK Fig. 1. Spindle-whorls made of Ovruch schist found in Sigtuna (Humlegården 3 site, 2006). Photo by Sigtuna Museum. Fig. 2. Map of the area of Southern Rus’ with places mentioned in the article. Drawing by the author. 8 DEREVA AND VOLHYNIA Lavrentian Chronicle, this is attributed to ly Iron Age (Zvizdeckyj 2004). Inhuma- Prince Oleg (PSRL I:24). Besides the trib- tions have been discovered in five barrows. ute paid by Derevlians, tribute was also paid Among the finds was a knife, a bucket, a sil- to Kiev by the Ulichians who ‘inhabited the ver finger ring, silver and bronze temple banks of the Dniester, and extended as far as rings, a lyre-shaped buckle and beads of the Danube’ (Cross 1953:56). Prince Igor glass, amber and corneal. Another cemetery granted the tribute paid by the Derevlians (No. 1), also located on the left bank of the and Ulichians to his voevoda (troop com- river, comprised 60 barrows which con- mander) Sveneld. The mentioned tribute tained both inhumation and cremation was ‘chernaja kuna’, that is to say ‘black graves. This cemetery contained the largest marten’. The Primary Russian Chronicle barrow, measuring 4.9 m high and 18.2 m in describes how Sveneld’s tribute made diameter, and surrounded by a ditch. Three Igor’s retinue envious, complaining that layers of stones were recorded in the mound ‘the servants of Sveneld are adorned with of the barrow, as well as a wooden chamber; weapons and fine raiment, but we are 3.5 x 2.4 m large. The chamber contained a naked’. According to this source Prince Igor double grave. Among the finds associated went twice to demand tribute from the with the buried individual, were the remains Derevlians. He increased the amount to be of a basket, a small iron axe, a knife, a whet- paid, and collected it by force. On his home stone, a ‘schist brooch’, a brooch of bronze, way to Kiev it is told that he decided to turn a silver finger ring and a vessel. A row of back and demand even more tribute. When other items such as ceramics, five S-shaped he came to the Derevlians’ city of Isko- silver temple-rings, four barrel-shaped sil- rosten the indignant Derevlians came out ver beads decorated with granulation, and a from the city and killed Prince Igor. After number of beads of corneal, some of this, according to the Chronicle, the coloured glass, a silver finger ring, a knife Derevlians decided to marry their Prince and a little silver bell were associated with Mal to Igor’s widow Olga. the other individual in the chamber The Chronicle describes the attack on (Vyezhev 1954:145–153; Zvizdeckij et al the city in a very dramatic way. How much 2004:54–55). Another large barrow (No. was true in this legendary story was not 16; 3.4 m high and 15 m in diameter) has clear until 2001 when an archaeological ex- been excavated and contained a female with cavation was started. two massive ear-rings of the so-called ‘Kiev-type’, as well as five temple-rings of The Archaeology of Iskorosten gold, two knifes and a fragmented basket. The archaeological monuments of Isko- These graves are interpreted as burials of rosten, which might be chronologically re- the Derevlian elite (Zvizdeckij et al 2004: lated to the historical account told by The 54–55). Primary Russian Chronicle, consist of three On the opposite, right bank of the river, hill-forts and four cemeteries. One ceme- were situated three hill-forts and two ceme- tery (No. 2) containing 68 barrows, is situ- teries (cemetery No. 3 consisting of 18 bar- ated on the left bank of Uzh River in the rows; No. 4 of 30 barrows). One hill-fort vicinity of a large hill-fort dated to the ear- (No. 1) was located on a high rocky hill and 9 FEDIR ANDROSHCHUK Fig. 3. Gold ear-rings of ‘Nitra-type’ from Isko- Fig. 4. Scandinavian pendants decorated in rosten. After Zvizdeckyj et al 2004. Borre style from Iskorosten. After Zvizdeckyj et al 2004. Fig. 6. Weapons of Carolingian origin found in Listven (left) and Bycheva (right). Drawing by the Fig. 5. A spearhead of Petersen’s type E found author. in the vicinity of the Motronin monastery in the region of Cherkasy. Photo by M. Levada. Fig. 8. Scandinavian brooch from the village of Kovalivka, in the area of Nemyrov, Vin- nitsa region. Photo by M. Potupchuk. 10 DEREVA AND VOLHYNIA Fig. 7. Finds from the Chervone hill-fort. Photo by M. Potupchuk. 11 FEDIR ANDROSHCHUK was bordered to the west and southwest by cenko & Zvizdeckyj 2006:74, 84, fig. 3; a small stream. The fortification structure it- fig. 4). A nearby barrow has been investi- self was destroyed by a quarry in the 1920s gated and contained one cremation grave and 1930s. An unfortified settlement 350 x with four Arabic coins. At present, this is the 300 x 100 x 150 m large is situated below only evidence of a possible larger cemetery the northeast side of the hill-fort. Here, a associated with the settlement and the hill- small sunken floored building, as well as an fort (Zvizdeckij et al 2004:78). own build of stone and a pit with pottery The dating and character of the second from 6th and 7th centuries were investigat- hill-fort, situated c. 120 m southwest from ed. Ten other buildings belong to the later the above-mentioned hill-fort, is not clear. period, dating to the 9th–10th centuries, in Early investigations have revealed a ‘pit one of which (No. 1), were found two gold house’ with a central fire-place which dates lunula-shaped ear-rings. This find is similar broadly to the 10th to 12th centuries to the so-called Nitra-type earrings found in (Zvizdeckij et al 2004:58). Moravia (fig. 3). A fragmentary crucible The third hill-fort is located c. 750 m was also found in the same building. Two southwest from hill-fort No. 2. It is situated more earrings were found in another build- on a high cliff-embankment of the river ing (No. 7), and also a pin of a Scandinavian (40 m high above the river). Hill-fort No. 2 oval brooch (Zvizdeckij et al 2004:78). An- covers c. 1 hectare in area and is oval- other object of Scandinavian origin which shaped. Remains of the ramparts as well as has been found in the settlement is a cross- cultural layers from the 9th to the 18th cen- shaped pendant of silver (Zocenko and tury have been recorded here. Most impor- Zvizdeckyj 2006:76, fig. 7). The fortifica- tant perhaps is the evidence for the produc- tion structure consisted of a 6 m wide and 2 tion and working of iron, including weapon- m deep ditch, along with an escarpment ry and other objects dated to the 11th–13th with a 10 m wide terrace and remains of a century (Zvizdeckij et al 2004:65pp). wall with stone and wooden constructions Mention should also be made of a large which were destroyed by a fire. As well as a barrow known today as ‘Igor’s grave’. This quantity of ceramics, a spearhead and two is situated 7–8 km northeast from the city, silver ear-rings were found in the lower part on the right bank of the river.