Slavs - it is a huge group of people, which occupies large areas in Europe and Asia.They include Poles, Czechs, Bulgarians, Serbs, Croats, Russian, Ukrainians, Belarusians and others.Each of these ethnic groups has its own history and its own culture.In this article, we will focus on the culture of the eastern Slavs, Russian, Belarusians and Ukrainians.
Old Russian state began to take shape in the second half of the 9th century.It was unusual and difficult years.Slavs inherit religion, life and customs of their ancestors have lived in harmony with nature, worshiping the gods of nature and phenomena, such as the Sun God grant me-god, the god of thunder and lightning Perun, the god of wind and other Stribog.People just lived mainly engaged in agriculture, cattle breeding and in forest areas hunting and gathering.For protection from the enemy, and for a successful conduct of their activities, they created the scattered communities all important matters which decided the council of elders or the Chamber.
to create any structures people, especially those who lived in the forest belt, used the tree.I must say that a skilled and talented Russian people to create a unique artistic design for parts of wooden houses, carved frames, like delicate lace, adorned with intricate patterns ridge, shutters.Scenes taken from Russian epics or closely intertwined with people's ideas about nature and natural phenomena.Culture Slavs included oral storytelling, legends and epics, passed from mouth to mouth.Often they sang special guslyar singers or storytellers narrate singsong.Writing, according to some sources, the Slavs were not, there was only knotted letter.But other sources said that writing was still.It is based on the Greek alphabet, and on it was written the famous Veles book.The dispute about the authenticity of this cultural monument does not subside until now, but be that as it may, the book existed.Also of interest are the religious ceremonies of the Slavs, and including songs and dances, and various offerings to their gods, down to the men.That is such a foundation was under an ancient Russian culture.
the second half of the 9th century in the life of the Slavs began to undergo radical changes.The death of Prince Svyatoslav was the beginning of a power struggle among his sons.Oleg dies at the hands of his brother Yaropolk, which in turn kills the illegitimate Vladimir.Having become absolute ruler, he seeks to win the love of the people and stop the infighting, thereby strengthening the ancient Russian state.Raised on the tenets of paganism, Vladimir first religiously follows this religion, is being built on a temple of the Kiev pantheon familiar and revered since childhood of the gods, even legitimizes human sacrifice.
This policy does not suit strong at the time the Byzantine Empire, which has long been committed to the first-born gods and turned to Christianity.Vladimir, that in the future his country prospered, the air must be cooperation with its powerful neighbor.Under the pressure of circumstances, the prince renounced the faith of their ancestors and to Christianity.This step was a turning point.Culture of Old Russian state, having received a fresh breath of new, hitherto unknown culture begins to change and transform.
changes affected absolutely all spheres.In Christianity, the worship in the open air does not occur, this church was built.In the temples of art is always present.For conducting church services need different religious books.All this required new knowledge and new technologies.Old Russian culture began to develop in many directions.In the cities started to build temples.Some of them were built in the old, made of wood, but under the leadership of the Greek masters learn the art of Russian architects to erect buildings of stone.A striking example of this are the Tithe Church and Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev, St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod, Pskov Trinity and many others.Mastered the art of icon painting, mosaics and frescoes.Plots are mainly taken from the writings of the church.Also depicted princes and important events in the life of narodaa.Simultaneously with the construction of stone churches began to develop the construction of stone walls, palaces and houses of nobility.Now, unique patterns and carvings were made of stone, but were just as skilled and extraordinarily beautiful as before carving.
to serve in the new temples and vast educational work, which was conducted among the population for years to come in the shower remained a pagan, shots were needed.Therefore, rapidly began construction of monasteries.Old Russian culture its development owes much to the monks, I think at that time the most educated stratum of society.The first monks arrived all the same in Greece.But local theologians quickly adopt knowledge of themselves and soon carried the Word of God to the people.The most famous of these are Hilarion of Kiev, Novgorod Luka Zhidiata, Theodosius Pechersky, as well as the monk Nestor wrote his "Tale of Bygone Years", Nikon and others.
Along with architecture and theology have developed writing and printing.Some researchers believe that writing has appeared in Russia with the establishment of Christianity, when the two brothers, Cyril and Mifody arrived from Salonika, have created the alphabet in which to write the first church books.Other researchers are of the opinion that their Cyrillic - it's just an improved Glagolitic, which existed before the advent of Christianity.Proof of this is found in Preslav inscription in Glagolitic, dating back to 893 a year, while Vladimir's baptism took place only in the year 988.However, since the end of the 9th century in Russian translated many Greek books, Jewish and Syrian texts, such as "Alexandria" Alexander the Great, and chronicles Hamartolos Sinkella, "Esther," a lot of others.Old Russian culture is rich in domestic and unique literary creations.One of the most famous is the "Lay" and "The Life of Boris and Gleb", "Kiev-Pechersk Patericon", "Walking" abbot Daniel and others.So, along with the church books, there are biographies of princes and captains, stories of famous and infamous campaigns, written epics and myths.
addition to literature, architecture and painting of the church, a new direction in the development got all crafts.Jewelers create the unique beauty and complexity of the decorations, the dishes potters, which is decorated with interesting ornaments, developing Russian folklore.
distinctive feature of the culture of Russia is that pocherpnuv new knowledge and new forms of art, the Russian people did not retreat from their traditions, thus making and architecture, and painting, and music, and all the craft its own unique flavor.
