cultural history of Kievan Rus' covers several centuries.Eastern Slavs were in political union a little less than three hundred years.However, it was during this period was formed by their spiritual community.This community today has a considerable influence on the East Slavic people that stood apart from the other Slavs, and traditionally considered to be very close to each other.The culture of the medieval Kievan state reached us in tangible and intangible evidence IX-XVI centuries: archaeological artifacts, priceless frescoes and icons of the monasteries themselves architectural forms, the most important written sources, folk epics, shed light on the spiritual guidance of medieval Slavs, and so on.When people talk about the old Russian civilization usually mean a period that lasted from the beginning of the actual state in the IX century to the final strengthening of Muscovy already in the XVI century.
Culture of Kievan Rus: a brief literature
Writing itself is a different category of culture.However, it is associated with her very closely.It is through scientific, religious, diplomatic, political and legal texts of culture manifests itself.The emergence of the Eastern Slavs writing is primarily due to the activities of the Greek Orthodox missionaries, Cyril and Methodius.And it was the penetration of Christianity due the intensive development of the culture of Kievan Rus.The Slavs were able to occasionally not (of course, there were some educated people here and before), and is widely join the books, and the most advanced civilization at that time, was the way the Christian Byzantine Empire.
Not surprisingly, the most important written monuments of ancient Russian culture created on the Glagolitic: it Izbornik Svyatoslav, and Ostrom Gospel and Homily children Monomakh and the Russian True Yaroslav, and many other important documents of the time.It is an important place in the literature dealing with art-historical tales: Tale of Bygone Years, Lay, A Tale of taking Batu Ryazan and others.However, much of the medieval Russian art writing and has not reached his contemporaries, being burnt in the fires of the Mongol invasion.
Culture of Kievan Rus: briefly about architecture
Until the X century in the eastern Slavs architecture was largely represented by wooden buildings.Only during the reign of Vladimir takes familiarity with the Orthodox Byzantine Empire, and as a result of Russian masters adopt the Greek tradition in architecture.There are the first in Russia monumental stone buildings.Of course, it was originally monasteries and churches, which largely inherited traits of Greek prototypes.
Culture of Kievan Rus: briefly about art
Among other things, the Orthodox also stimulated the development of artistic skills of local craftsmen.It is primarily manifested in the frescoes and mosaics that were generously covered the walls of temples.An important component of art began painting icons.Interestingly, the influence of Byzantine icon painting was traced canons to further the culture of Russian land even longer period than in architecture.
Culture of Kievan Rus: briefly about music
musical culture was closely connected with the local folklore.This is expressed mainly through religious songs, poetry, epic and so on.By the way, in this area and the influence of the Orthodox Byzantine culture was significantly lower.Epics and legends rooted in the pagan past of the Slavs.
