The East Slavs

The origin of the Slavs is a complicated problem. Scholars from modern Slavic states tend to place their ancestors’ motherland on the territory of their nations respectively (Russia, Belarus, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, etc) Most Ukrainian scholars place the motherland of ancient Slavs between the Oder River (Poland) and the Dnieper River (Ukraine). They suppose that the Slavs originated in the area in the first half of the 1^st millennium AD, and then from about AD 500 began to expand in all directions. The Slavs can be divided into three major groups: the Eastern Slavs (Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians); the Western Slavs (Czechs, Poles, Slovaks); the Southern Slavs (Bulgarians, Croats, Macedonians, Serbs, Slovenes, Bosnians, Montenegrins).

As early as the 2^nd century AD Roman historians wrote about Slavic tribal unions – Venedians, Sklavines, and Antes. The first two lived in the area located west of present-day Ukraine. The Antes occupied the lands of present-day Dnieper Ukraine. Famous Ukrainian historian M. Hrushevsky considered the Antes to be proto-Ukrainians.¹⁰ In the 3d century the Antes in union with the Goths often attacked eastern borders of the Roman Empire (the Danube area). Then in the 4^th century the Antes joined the Huns in their attacks on Goths. In 602 the Antes were defeated by the Avars and disappeared from ancient texts.

According to Byzantine chronicles, the Slavs were handsome people. They were tall and had blond hair and blue eyes. With time, however, due to numerous nomadic invasions the Slavs’ appearance changed. They are still handsome but the percentage of the blond people among the Slavs is not as high as it was long time ago.

The East Slavs consisted of about fourteen large tribal unions that inhabited Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus. Ukrainian lands were inhabited by several tribal unions: Polianians (Kyiv and Kaniv areas), Drev­lianians (Eastern Volhynia, around the Teterev River, to the south of the Prypiat River), Siverianians (Chernihiv area, to the left of the Dnieper along the Desna, Seim, and Sula rivers), Ulichians and Tivercians (between the Southern Buh and Danube rivers), Dulibians (western Volhynia), and White Croatians (Transcarpathia). Of these, the most prominent were the Polianians. Their administrative centre was Kyiv.¹¹

According to ancient foreign chronicles, the East Slavs were known to be tough, stubborn fighters who could endure extremes of cold and heat and survive with a minimum of provisions. The Slavs were not nomads; the basis of their economy was farming.

Eastern Slavs’ religion was pagan polytheism, a belief in existence of many gods, in contrast to monotheism, a belief in the existence of a single god. The most revered deity was Perun, the god of thunder, lightning and war. Animals as well as humans were sacrificed to get Perun’s favor.¹² The symbol of Perun was oak. Other important gods were Svaroh (god of sky), Dazhdboh (god of the Sun), Stryboh (god of wind), Veles (god of cattle and wealth), Kupala (god of harvest and fertility), Dana (goddess of water), Lel’ (god of love), Mara (goddess of death and illness) etc. With the aim of worshiping their gods Slavs made idols from stone or wood. They prayed and made sacrifices in front of those idols in the open air.¹³ Ancient Slavs burnt their dead relatives. In such a way they tried to clean the deceased from evils and open the way to a kingdom of light and eternal peace for them. Besides common gods each Slavic tribe had its own gods-protectors.