ethnogenesis of Slavs engaged anthropology, archeology, linguistics, anthroponimics and many other sciences.
In general the Slavs as a community of people, and developed like any other ethnic groups inhabiting the territory of Western and Central Europe.In the Paleolithic period it was the tribes who were united by the need for joint production of food and protection from the claims of other tribes.At this stage, the Slavs as a separate ethnic group has not stood out.In any case, the scientists traced it fails.Problems of ethnogenesis of Eastern Slavs began around XII-X centuries BC.
the specified time appear tribal communities, which jointly own property and are more or less fairly distribute loot.The knowledge and skills of people from generation to generation and grow by about VI-V millennium BC, they will improve the weapons, the first domesticate animals, and later learn farming.The most important event in this stage was the discovery of metals, first copper, then bronze, and later iron.The problem of the ethnogenesis of Eastern Slavs gets a new development.Who has mastered the science of manufacturing of metal and had for this raw material, it was in a better position.The rest are either bought or bartered desired, or pushed forward.
problem ethnogenesis of Eastern Slavs in this period is visible discrepancy, and sometimes contradictory results of studies carried out by various sciences.Fortunately, other peoples, such as the Greeks at that time were extraordinarily developed, erected marble temples built sophisticated irrigation systems, swimming pools, sewage, knew writing.Due to the records of ancient Greek scientists, we can confidently say that by the middle of the VI century BC Slavs already existed.Byzantine historians have divided them into sklaviny and Antes, who lived outside the northern border of the Byzantine Empire.The range of their habitat lying between the Dnieper (Jordan) and the Danube (Istria) on the one hand, and on the other stretched from the Vistula (Viskly), the Elbe and the Oder (Procopius).For smart Greeks our ancestors who lived in the houses, similar to the dugout and did not know even the writing seemed barbarians.In fact, the ancient Slavs knew how to make and decorate pottery ornaments, paint, create different figures, mostly of animals and birds, were the basis of religion.Unfortunately, at this time they abandoned the belief in reincarnation and began to cremate the dead, making it difficult to archaeological surveys.
Herodotus, in addition to the Antes and sklaviny mentions wends, people who lived in the lower reaches Viskly.Wends many scientists believe actually Slavs.Which of the Indo-European tribes who inhabited the territory of Europe is their ancestor, the science does not give an answer.The problem of the ethnogenesis of Eastern Slavs lies in the little-studied this issue due to lack of data.Linguists base development of the ethnic group of the eastern Slavs on the study of common words and terms found in many nations, and linguistic features associated with the Slavs and Italians prabaltami.
Genetics base their conclusions on a study of the male Y-chromosome, which is obliged to keep information about common ancestors.The problem of the ethnogenesis of Eastern Slavs here is in multiple crosses genetic fund tribes, due to migration and the endless wars of conquest.Genetics likely called Baltic ancestors of the Slavs in general.At the same time the northern Slavs associated with the Finno-Finns, the western with the Celts and with the southern Thracians.The ancestral home of the eastern Slavs define the territory of modern Ukraine.This is confirmed by archaeological excavations and detailed study of the Prague-Korchak and Prague-Penskovskaya cultures.While other Slavs associated with Chernyakhov culture, that is, with the Goths.In those tough times between the tribes were frequent bloody battles.
Slavs, under the pressure of circumstances, went to the undeveloped territory, settling in rivers and lakes, than due to the name of the ancient communities.Having vyatichi, Krivichi, drevlyans, clearing and others.People surrounded their settlements moats, was surrounded by high strong walls.They became known as principalities, because the princes ruled there.In wartime, they were princes, generals.They were helped by loyal squad, recruited from the people.In peacetime, the rule of the princes carried unions communities, whose power was much versatility.Solve business community helped the princes of the council of elders and the popular assembly, called the Chamber.
By that time finally formed pagan religion.
Paganism eastern Slavs rooted in totemism and fetishism.Ancient Slavs believed that occurred from any animal, they can also be converted.They made totem worship (small figures of animals that are at the excavations).Many Russian fairy tales, such as the tale of the princess-frog, is indirectly confirmed.Also Slavs worshiped natural objects, trees, ponds, woods and so on.Subsequently, there was an allocation of ancestral spirits as objects of worship.There are water, Treefolk, Brownies.The last stage of paganism - the belief in the gods.The Slavs were the gods of nature and effects, chief among which is the god of thunder and lightning Perun.Worshiping him and other pagan gods, the Slavs erected temples (open areas for rituals), performed rituals, according to some sources accompanied by human sacrifice.
further division of labor, the development of trade, the welfare of some segments of the population and the impoverishment of others led up to the birth of society statehood.The first such state was the ancient Slavs Kievan Rus.
