Centuries-old rituals in Rus' have their roots deep in the era of paganism, which, even after the adoption of Christianity, could not completely disappear and is still for a long time continued to exist behind the scenes. Amazing fact: Many of those pagan rituals are still alive today, as one of the integral parts of the rich Russian culture and history.

From the time of paganism

What spiritual traditions have reached our times and continue to be passed on from generation to generation?

What is the reason for the appearance of the very first rituals in Rus'?

How rituals appeared

The most important and most ancient Russian rituals are inextricably linked with the forces of nature, with mythological personifications of the elements and powerful natural forces. We should not forget that the basis of life for a simple mortal peasant was hard work the farmer, and, consequently, most of the Old Russian rituals, first of all, were associated with the propitiation of nature and the forces existing in it.

For each season there was its own set of rites and rituals aimed at obtaining a generous harvest, at attracting rain or heavy snow, at taming evil spirits, at protecting livestock or obtaining healthy offspring from them, etc. From here, by the way, it begins to be traced the relationship of the first rites with the then existing calendar. This unspoken calendar began in December, when the sun “turned to summer,” and ended in late autumn - with the end of agricultural work and harvesting.

Rituals in Rus' and their relationship with the Church

The ancient Russian rituals that have reached our time are associated not only with deeply rooted paganism, but also with Christianity, which was accepted at that time. For example, among the most important sacraments recognized by all religions are baptism and communion to this day.

Addressing church calendar, you can notice that almost all Orthodox holidays are associated with certain ritual acts. Examples here include the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany and the Ascension of the Lord, which are still accompanied by symbolic ceremonies.

Pagan rituals and their relationship with calendar holidays

Caroling

Calendar holidays

Caroling is a kind of ritual dedicated to Christmastide (i.e., the period of twelve holidays among the Slavs, called “from the star to the water”), during which the ritual participants walked around houses, sang songs, “carols” and all kinds of sentences addressed to their owners, for which they received a special treat from them.

At that time, it was generally believed that during the Christmas season the sun gained energy in order to soon awaken the earth and revive Mother Nature. In particular, ancient Russian farmers were convinced that by participating in Christmas games, accompanied by various amusements and tasty treats, people doubled the awakening energy of fertility and, thereby, contributed to a generous harvest.

Caroling is still part of Ukrainian and Belarusian rituals, which are inextricably linked with Slavic culture and history. In addition to caroling, a mandatory component of Christmas rituals also included fortune-telling, which in Russian times allowed people to lift the secret veil of the future in order to find out how fruitful the coming year would be and what events it would be accompanied by.

Maslenitsa

This holiday has been celebrated since ancient times by the Slavic peoples at the end of the March days, during the spring equinox. The traditional dish of this ancient holiday was pancakes, personifying the golden disk of the heavenly body.

In addition, an indispensable attribute of Maslenitsa festivities was an effigy of Maslenitsa itself, which was burned, buried, or, torn into pieces, scattered across arable land. This is a stuffed animal dressed up in women's clothing, symbolized the end winter days and the arrival of the long-awaited spring. After ritual burial or burning, Maslenitsa was supposed to transfer its powerful energy to the fields, giving them fertility and protecting them from the treachery of the elements.

Spring rites

With the arrival of spring, a new time of ritual acts began, also aimed at appeasing the forces of nature and protection from the destructive elements and the wrath of pagan deities. Many spring rites ancient Rus' have survived to this day. For example, a clear confirmation of this is the tradition of painting chicken eggs, without which such an important religious holiday like Easter.

Initially, the painted egg itself was an independent attribute of many ancient rituals (from approximately the 10th century). Many centuries ago it was believed that he had miraculous properties- for example, they could heal a sick person and even extinguish a flame that flared up after a lightning strike.

Also, in the spring, all sorts of agricultural rituals were certainly carried out related to the taming of the evil spirits that were thought in local reservoirs. At that time, the first shoots were already appearing on the arable land, and all that the farmers feared during this period of time was the treachery of mermaids and kikimoras, capable of awakening the water, flooding the crops and leaving the population without a harvest. To lure evil spirits out of the pools, round dances, noisy celebrations and dances were held on the river banks, bonfires were lit and songs were sung.

Yarilin's day

In anticipation of a bountiful harvest, it was necessary not only to protect the first crops from flooding, but also to provide them with sufficient sunlight. For this purpose, the Slavs turned to Yaril, the god of the rising (spring) sun. He was considered the deity who patronized animals and plants, the god of love, courage and strength.

On Yarilin’s day, a very important rite was performed - “Unlocking the Earth” (or, as it was also called zaROD, i.e. a rite associated with birth). An indispensable part of the Yarila rituals was washing, and, more precisely, bathing in the morning dew. It has long been believed that the dew that fell on Yarilin's day has miraculous, healing properties.

Ivan Kupala

When describing the most famous ancient Russian rituals and customs, one cannot ignore the well-known holiday - Ivan Kupala Day. Under this name, in the mythology of the Slavs, a powerful deity appears, closely associated with the worship of the Sun. It is curious that initially this holiday was tied to the summer solstice, but as Christianity took root, it began to be associated with the birthday of John the Baptist.

In terms of ritual content, the night of Ivan Kupala surpasses the day, since all festivities and ritual acts were carried out mainly in dark time days. To this day, this day is a national and church holiday in many countries around the world.

The symbol of this holiday at all times was the Ivan-da-Marya flowers, from which wreaths were woven and used for fortune-telling. Unmarried girls floated wreaths with lighted candles on the water to use them to determine their future married life. It was considered a bad omen if the wreath sank - this spoke of betrayal in the relationship between an unmarried girl and her chosen one (“The wreath drowned - the darling deceived”).

According to ancient beliefs, on the night of Ivan Kupala, fern flowers bloom, indicating the right direction to ancient treasures and countless treasures, but finding them, as well as discovering the location of wealth, was considered an almost impossible task for a mere mortal.

An indispensable part of the rituals on the night of this holiday were round dances and jumping over a burning fire, which, according to beliefs, contributed to the purification of the soul and protected against diseases, witchcraft and the evil eye.

Other rituals

Other, less well-known Old Russian rituals occurred at the time of harvest and the beginning of its processing. During this period, the most important holidays were considered:

• the ritual period of “first fruits,” which occurred in the first weeks of August when the first harvest was reaped;
• the Indian summer season, during which the harvested crops were poured into bins;
• flax spinning time, which was in October.

Features of the question

Slavic traditions come from a single pan-European mythology. With the development of society, the settlement of the Slavs in new territories, customs and traditions were transformed, they began to have exceptional features.

These traits are manifested in the mentality that is formed in everyday life through ordinary practices. Life seems to be regulated, but this law is unwritten; it enters society through customs, holidays, traditions, and rituals. Traditions, rituals and customs of the Slavs are divided into the following groups:

1. Wedding
2. Funeral
3. Calendar

Note 1

The peculiarities of the Christianization of Rus' are such that pagan traditions in many respects never disappeared. They either entered the Christian canon or remained folk.

Wedding customs

Before the adoption of Christianity, wedding ceremonies retained relict behavioral patterns inherent in traditional societies. Customs, rituals and traditions indicate the patriarchal nature of society. Pagan wedding ceremony suggested two options:

• Symbolic purchase of a bride through payment of “vena” to parents
• The abduction of a wife is a “kidnapping” in the chronicle

Note 2

The chronicle condemns pagan wedding traditions, especially kidnapping, because polygamy was also common.

In addition, the pagan Slavic wedding rite had the features of a phallic cult with the making of models. By the way, Russian swearing is connected with this, since frank ditties were part of the ritual to ensure the birth of offspring.

A Christian wedding in Rus' was a consistent change of rituals:

1. Matchmaking - negotiations for marriage, always proposed by the groom's side
2. Look - the bride's relatives visited the groom's family
3. Bridesmaids - the bride was introduced to the groom's relatives
4. Conspiracy is the final decision, fathers shook hands
5. The loaf rite is a symbol of new life and prosperity, baked by women who were happy in marriage, and served after the wedding night
6. Podvenekha - bachelorette party
7. Wedding train - departure of the newlyweds to church
8. Wedding is the central ceremony of a wedding
9. Princely table - wedding feast
10. Wedding night - spent in another house due to the belief that evil was being sent to the house where the wedding was held.
11. Wedding a young woman - changing hairstyles and attire from girls' to women's
12. Otvodiny - a newlyweds' feast in the wife's house

Calendar traditions

Like most peoples, the Slavs have calendar customs, rituals and holidays associated with agricultural cycles. They worshiped gods associated with the forces of nature. The rituals were aimed at inducing precipitation, sowing and harvesting grain, etc. Here are some examples of the main holidays:

Example 1

• Christmastide– the main winter holiday, the beginning of the new year.
• Kolyada- the call of spring, the birthday of the god of warmth and light.
• Maslenitsa- farewell to winter.
• Kupalo- holiday of the summer solstice.

Funeral rites

Slavic customs and rituals pay great attention to death, the experience of loss, and the afterlife. For the pagan Slavic funeral rite we highlight the following common features:

• Trizna began the ritual - this part involved a feast, songs, military competitions in memory of the deceased
• Then the body of the deceased was burned
• The ashes were collected in vessels
• These vessels were placed on roadside poles

Note 3

Similar features can be traced in many cultures. For example, the competition of Achilles in memory of Petrocles. Roadside pillars can be interpreted as a symbol of the World Tree, then it is clear why vessels were hung on them - so that the deceased would move along them to the afterlife.

However, there was an alternative to the above funeral rite. Let us remember that the funeral feast for Igor, conducted by Olga, was not a holiday, but a mournful event, although it ended in revenge. In addition, archaeological research allows us to conclude that different Slavic tribes dealt with the body of the deceased differently.

In addition to the burning of corpses there was burial. In the case of the burial of a noble person, a mound was poured over the grave.

The spirit of a people can be recognized by studying its traditions and rituals. Passed on from ancestors to descendants, they are a connecting bridge between the past and the future. Customs do not arise just like that, but contain within them sacred meaning. Many of them today are almost erased from human memory, but are preserved with trepidation by serious art historians.

Expeditions of enthusiasts traveling to remote corners seek to resurrect the half-forgotten memories of the elders. But there are rituals that are so entrenched in people’s memory that they have become an integral part of the life of modern Russians. To this day, they never cease to bring fun into life, amusing not only the old people, but also the younger generation.

Rituals associated with religious holidays

Russia is the land of a vibrant and original culture, intertwined with connecting threads with Orthodoxy, which came from Byzantium about a thousand years ago. But the shadow of pagan beliefs, the worship of Slavic deities, from the moment of the baptism of Rus', was preserved in the traditions of the people for centuries. Even in religious rites Christianity shows pagan features.

Easter

This is the most important church holiday, symbolizing rebirth from death to life, designed to bring light to the souls of believers rejoicing in the resurrection of Christ. The eve of the celebration is accompanied by an all-night vigil in churches and a religious procession around the church.

Easter is the day when it ends Lent, That's why festive table bursting with abundance of deliciousness. The first place is occupied by treats of a ritual nature. For this day, it is customary to paint eggs scarlet and other shades. The general background is often complemented by symbolic designs and ornaments. Easter cannot do without Easter cakes, which represent the body of Christ and are decorated with the image of a cross.

On a holiday, from the very morning it is customary to go to neighbors and acquaintances with congratulations and treats. People greet those they meet with the words: “Christ is risen!” And in response they expect to hear: “In truth he is risen!” On this day in the old days, gifts were given to the poor, the poor, orphans, the sick, and prisoners. Exact date The holiday is calculated every year in a new way according to the lunisolar calendar, falling on one of the Sundays in April or May.

In the pre-Christian era, it was customary for the Slavic peoples to worship the god of fertility with Easter cakes and eggs. The first of the delicious symbols, covered with glaze and sprinkled with grain, represented the abundance of the harvest. Even before the appearance of Christ, the egg was considered the prototype of the Universe. It symbolized the awakening of nature after a long, harsh winter.

Christmas

The Orthodox holiday in honor of the birth of the baby Jesus is celebrated on December 25 according to the Julian calendar. Christians believe that Almighty God became a man on this day to save the world and people from their sins. By Gregorian calendar The date of the celebrations falls on January 7. On the eve of Christmas Eve until the first star, customs require strict fasting. As a sign that the Virgin Mary gave the world a Divine Son on the night before the festival, it is customary to place lighted candles on the windowsill.

According to legend, Jesus was born not in a palace, but in a cave where there was a cattle stall. The baby was swaddled and placed in a manger on hard straw, but the Divine radiance illuminated the future Savior. At that moment, a bright star lit up over Bethlehem, the city where he was born. Seeing her, the wise men from the East hastened from distant lands to bring their gifts to the great baby.

This beautiful legend formed the basis of songs called carols, which people sang loudly on the streets of villages and cities that night. The simple lyrics did not have famous authors, but the songs seemed sincere, and with them the spirit of joy filled the Christmas night.

In the pre-Christian era, December 25 was also a sacred day and was considered a holiday in various pagan cults. This date winter solstice In ancient times, many peoples associated it with the birth of the Sun God. From this astronomical moment until the spring solstice, it was customary for the Slavs to honor the patron of the winter sun - the deity Khorsa, in whose praise the ancients also sang songs.

Wedding traditions of the Russian people

The marriage ceremony of young people was built from a number of serious, cheerful, and sometimes a little sad events, the order of which finally took shape in Rus' in the 14th century, born from Slavic customs. In the 17th century, traditions in the spirit of Orthodoxy were added to the ancient actions.

The marriage of the young began to be supported by parental blessings and weddings. In different lands, regions and regions of boundless Rus', colorful events associated with marriage differed in their own characteristics, but some common features can be noticed.

Matchmaking

Wedding efforts began with matchmaking, which was negotiations between the families of the bride and groom with the obligatory presence of godparents and close relatives. The ceremony was not complete without matchmakers, on whom the outcome of the event often depended. Compliance with certain signs was considered a strictly mandatory requirement in order to protect the future family from the machinations of evil spirits.

For example, people came to get married on any day of the week except Monday and Friday. Guests, entering the house, took off their hats as a sign of politeness and first of all crossed themselves to the icons. Only after this did negotiations begin, dissatisfaction or agreement about the marriage itself and other issues were expressed, and the size of the dowry was discussed.

Bride

The arrival of the girl’s family at the groom’s house was intended to get acquainted with the financial and property situation. During a return visit to the chosen one’s place of residence, the elegant bride was introduced to the groom’s family and boyfriend. The action was accompanied by singing, dancing, and jokes. If everything went smoothly, the newlyweds walked through the house arm in arm, kissed, and said vows.

The decision on the upcoming marriage was completed by a conspiracy, after which the couple was officially declared to be entering into marriage. Next, a carnival ceremony took place, where treats were generously distributed: fresh rosy pastries. The oven personified the mother's womb, the dough - the seed, the loaf - a prosperous healthy offspring.

Rituals preceding the wedding

The concepts: “bachelorette party” and “bachelor party” are very familiar to modern Russians, especially young people. For our ancestors, holding such events essentially had the same goal: saying goodbye to a free, single life before getting married. However, there were also a number of differences. The groom met with friends on the last day before the wedding or immediately before the wedding early in the morning at a youth party. At the same time, treats were distributed, farewell speeches were heard, and songs were sung.

But the bride cried and was sad about her passing girlhood for much longer, beginning to show sadness immediately after the agreement. There was no particular joy in the actions performed. In the villages, the girl was taken outside the outskirts, where she walked to the accompaniment of sad chants, and in her hands carried a Christmas tree decorated with ribbons, or a bouquet of paper flowers. The ceremony was accompanied by a bride price, during which the girl's hair was braided, tied with cords and ribbons. And after getting what they wanted, the hair began to flow.

Wedding ceremony

The departure of the newlyweds for the wedding was called the “wedding train”, which was usually sprinkled with grain. In winter they rode on decorated sleighs drawn by three horses with bells. At other times, chaises could serve as a means of transport. The procession was led by the groom (friend of the groom). On the way to the bride, the good fellow blocked the road in all sorts of cunning ways and the villagers plotted, demanding a ransom.

Most often, their efforts were rewarded with fragrant gingerbread cookies, sweet candies, tasty nuts and juicy fruits; sometimes the friend tried to pay off with wine.

The girlfriends in the chosen one’s hut sang songs where they complained about the groom separating them from the girl. And at that time the friend was walking in front of the guy’s procession, waving a whip. In this way, it was believed that he drove away the evil spirits who wanted to harm the young. Often the hidden bride had to be found. Then the newlyweds hurried in different carts to the church, where the wedding ceremony took place. Then the whole procession, with joy and songs, solemnly set off for the wedding feast.

Yuletide fortune telling

At any time, people have sought to find out their fate and guess the events of the future. That's why Christmas fortune telling, which have become one of the brightest Russian traditions, are extremely popular to this day. Mysterious rituals, each of which is carried out strictly at the prescribed time of day, began to be performed on January 6, continuing funny, exciting, slightly frightening actions until January 19 - the Orthodox holiday of Epiphany.

Mostly girls who dreamed of grooms, upcoming marriage and future children asked unknown forces about their fate. Our contemporaries, bypassing ancient customs, often rush to tell fortunes from December 25th on Catholic Christmas. The rituals, according to the order, in some cases are performed in the evening, sometimes before bedtime or after midnight.

Fortune telling with a shoe

This ritual was intended to find out where the intended groom lived. For this purpose, the girls threw their shoes through the gate in order to find out the direction of the search. The toe of the shoe indicated it, since the future husband should have been looked for there.

Fortune telling with a ring

To perform the ritual at midnight, it was necessary to place a sheet of paper on a smooth horizontal surface, which was then sprinkled with ashes. Then a glass jar filled with clean well water was placed on the sheet. They threw a ring into the jar and looked inside. It was believed that in the water, if you look carefully, you can definitely see the image of the betrothed.

Folk magic

In Rus', every village necessarily had its own grandmother-healer, who after death passed on her healing gift to one of her loved ones. The healers treated mainly with spells. By reading ancient prayers, the text of which was passed down from ancestors to descendants, they saved people from illnesses, damage and other misfortunes. Magic rituals were also performed.

Ritual to improve the health of a newborn

There was a belief that the baby would be healthy if it was passed through the mother's nightgown. Often, having wrapped a newborn in a shirt, they first covered him with dough, believing that it absorbs all sorrows and illnesses, then they placed the child in a warm oven - a symbolic womb. The ritual endowed little man powerful energy.

With the formation of the Kyiv principality, the tribal life of the Slavs naturally changed in the volost, and in this already established organism of social life the power of the Varangian princes arose.

"People Ancient Rus' lived both in large cities for his time, numbering tens of thousands of people, and in villages with several dozen households and villages, especially in the northeast of the country, in which two or three households were grouped.

Based on archaeological data, we can judge to some extent about the life of the ancient Slavs. Their settlements located along the river banks were grouped into a kind of nest of 3-4 villages. If the distance between these villages did not exceed 5 km, then between the “nests” it reached at least 30, or even 100 km. Each village was home to several families; sometimes they numbered in the dozens. The houses were small, like half-dugouts: the floor was a meter and a half below ground level, wooden walls, an adobe or stone stove, heated in black, a roof covered with clay and sometimes reaching the ends of the roof to the very ground. The area of ​​such a semi-dugout was usually small: 10-20 m2.

A detailed reconstruction of the interior decor and furnishings of an ancient Russian house is complicated by the fragmentation of archaeological material, which, however, is very slightly compensated for by data from ethnography, iconography, and written sources.” In my opinion, this compensation makes it possible to outline stable features of a residential interior: limited volumes of housing, unity of layout and furniture, the main ornamental material is wood.

“The desire to create maximum comfort with minimal means determined the laconicism of the interior, the main elements of which were the stove, fixed furniture - benches, beds, various supplies and movable furniture - table, bench, small table, armchairs, various arrangements - boxes, chests, cubes (1).” It is believed that the ancient Russian stove, entirely included in the hut, was both literally and figuratively a home - a source of warmth and comfort.

“The inherent desire for beauty among Russian craftsmen contributed to the development of laconic means of decorating the hearth and stove space. Various materials were used: clay, wood, brick, tile.

The custom of whitewashing stoves and painting them with various patterns and designs is apparently very ancient. An indispensable element of the decor of the stove were stove boards that covered the mouth of the firebox. They were often decorated with carvings, which gave them sophistication. Fixed furniture was built in and cut down simultaneously with the hut, forming with it one inextricable whole: benches, supplies, utensils, sheets and the rest of the wooden “outfit” of the hut.

Several villages probably made up an ancient Slavic community - Verv. The strength of community institutions was so great that even an increase in labor productivity and general level life did not immediately lead to property, and even more so social differentiation within the rope. So, in a settlement of the 10th century. (i.e. when the Old Russian state already existed) - the Novotroitsky settlement - no traces of more or less rich farms were found. Even the cattle were apparently still in communal ownership: the houses were very crowded, sometimes with roofs touching, and there was no room left for individual barns or cattle pens. At first, the strength of the community was hampered, despite the relatively high level development of productive forces, stratification of the community and separation of richer families from it.”

“Cities, as a rule, arose at the confluence of two rivers, since this location provided more reliable protection. central part The city, surrounded by a rampart and a fortress wall, was called the Kremlin or Detinets. As a rule, the Kremlin was surrounded on all sides by water, since the rivers, at the confluence of which the city was built, were connected by a moat filled with water. Slobodas, settlements of artisans, adjoined the Kremlin. This part of the city was called posad.

The most ancient cities arose most often on the most important trade routes. One of these trade routes was the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” Through the Neva or Western Dvina and Volkhov with its tributaries and further through a system of portages, ships reached the Dnieper basin. Along the Dnieper they reached the Black Sea and further to Byzantium. This path finally took shape by the 9th century.

Another trade route, one of the oldest in Eastern Europe, was the Volga trade route, which connected Rus' with the countries of the East.”

“Approximately in the 7th-8th centuries. crafts are finally separated from agriculture. Specialists stand out - blacksmiths, foundries, gold and silversmiths, and later potters.

Craftsmen usually concentrated in tribal centers - cities or in settlements - graveyards, which gradually turned from military fortifications into centers of craft and trade - cities. At the same time, cities become defensive centers and residences of power holders.”

Excavations in the territories of ancient cities show all the diversity of everyday life in city life. Many discovered treasures and opened burial grounds brought to us household utensils and jewelry. The abundance of women's jewelry in the found treasures made the study of crafts accessible. Ancient jewelers reflected their ideas about the world on tiaras, rings, and earrings.”

The pagans attached great importance to clothing. I believe that it carried not only a functional load, but also some ritual. Clothes were decorated with images of beregins (2), women in labor, symbols of the sun, earth and reflected the multi-tiered nature of the world. The upper tier, the sky was compared with the headdress, the earth corresponded with shoes, etc.

“Pagan rituals and festivals were very diverse. As a result of centuries-old observations, the Slavs created their own calendar, in which they stood out especially clearly next holidays related to the agricultural cycle:

• 1. The holiday of the first shoots is May 2.
• 2. Prayers for rain - from May 20 to 30.
• 3. Yarilin's day - June 4.
• 4. Prayers for rain - from June 11 to June 20.
• 5. Kupala holiday - June 24.
• 6. Prayers for rain - from July 4 to July 6.
• 7. Selection of victims for the holiday of Perun - July 12.
• 8. Prayers for rain - from July 15 to 18.
• 9. Perun's holiday - July 20.
• 10. The beginning of the harvest is July 24. Prayers for the rains to stop.
• 11. “Zazhinki”, end of the harvest - August 7.

The annual cycle of ancient Russian festivals consisted of different elements, dating back to the Indo-European unity of the first farmers. One of the elements was the solar phases, the second was the cycle of lightning and rain, the third was the cycle of harvest festivals, the fourth element was the days of remembrance of ancestors, the fifth could be carols, holidays on the first days of each month.”

Numerous holidays, carols, games, Christmastide brightened up life ancient Slav. Many of these rituals are still alive among the people to this day, especially in the northern regions of Russia, where Christianity took longer and more difficult to take root; pagan traditions are especially strong in the north. ancient Russian way of life customs ritual agriculture hut

His life, full of work and anxiety, flowed in modest Russian villages and hamlets, in log huts, in semi-dugouts with stoves in the corner. “There people stubbornly fought for existence, plowed up new lands, raised livestock, bee-keepers, hunted, defended themselves from “dashing” people, and in the south - from nomads, and again and again rebuilt dwellings burned by enemies. Moreover, often plowmen went out into the field armed with spears, clubs, bows and arrows to fight off the Polovtsian patrol. On long winter evenings, in the light of splinters, women spun, men drank intoxicating drinks, honey, remembered the days gone by, composed and sang songs, listened to the storytellers and storytellers of epics.

In the palaces and rich boyar mansions there was a life of its own - warriors, servants were located here, and countless servants crowded around. This is where the administration of principalities, clans, and villages took place; here they judged and tried, and here tributes and taxes were brought. Feasts were often held in the vestibule, in spacious grills, where overseas wine and native honey flowed like rivers, and servants served huge dishes of meat and game. Women sat at the table on equal terms with men. Women generally took an active part in management, housekeeping, and other matters.

The guslars delighted the ears of the distinguished guests, sang “glory” to them, large bowls and horns of wine passed around in a circle. At the same time, food and small money were distributed to the poor on behalf of the owner. Such feasts and such distributions were famous throughout Rus' during the time of Vladimir I.”

“The favorite pastimes of rich people were falconry, hawk hunting, and hound hunting. Races, tournaments, and various games were organized for the common people. An integral part of ancient Russian life, especially in the North, however, as in later times, was the bathhouse.

In the princely-boyar environment, at the age of three, a boy was put on a horse, then given to the care and training of a teacher. At the age of 12, young princes, together with prominent boyar advisers, were sent to manage volosts and cities.

The main occupation of the Eastern Slavs was agriculture. This is confirmed by archaeological excavations, during which seeds of cereals (rye, barley, millet) and garden crops (turnips, cabbage, carrots, beets, radishes) were discovered. Industrial crops (flax, hemp) were also grown. Southern lands The Slavs were ahead of the northern Slavs in their development, which was explained by differences in natural and climatic conditions and soil fertility. The southern Slavic tribes had more ancient agricultural traditions, and also had long-standing ties with the slave states of the Northern Black Sea region.

The Slavic tribes had two main farming systems. In the north, in the region of dense taiga forests, the dominant farming system was slash-and-burn.

It should be said that the border of the taiga at the beginning of the 1st millennium AD. was much further south than it is today. A remnant of the ancient taiga is the famous Belovezhskaya Pushcha. In the first year, under the slash-and-burn system, the trees in the cultivated area were cut down and they dried out. The next year, the felled trees and stumps were burned, and grain was sown in the ashes. A plot fertilized with ash gave a fairly high harvest for two or three years, then the land was depleted, and a new plot had to be developed. The main tools of labor in the forest belt were an axe, a hoe, a spade and a harrow-harrow. They harvested the crops using sickles and ground the grain with stone grinders and millstones.

IN southern regions fallow soil was the leading farming system. In the presence of large quantity of fertile land, plots were sown for several years, and after the soil was depleted, they were transferred (“shifted”) to new plots. The main tools were the ralo, and later a wooden plow with an iron ploughshare. Plow farming was more efficient and produced higher and more consistent yields.

Livestock breeding was closely related to agriculture. The Slavs raised pigs, cows, sheep, and goats. Oxen were used as draft animals in the southern regions, and horses in the forest belt. Hunting, fishing and beekeeping (collecting honey from wild bees) played an important role in the economy of the Eastern Slavs. Honey, wax, and furs were the main items of foreign trade.

The set of agricultural crops differed from the later ones: rye still occupied a small place in it, and wheat predominated. There were no oats at all, but there was millet, buckwheat, and barley.

The Slavs raised cattle and pigs, as well as horses. The important role of cattle breeding is evident from the fact that in the Old Russian language the word “cattle” also meant money.

Forestry and river crafts were also common among the Slavs. Hunting provided more fur than food. Honey was obtained through beekeeping. It was not just collecting honey from wild bees, but also caring for hollows (“sides”) and even creating them. The development of fishing was facilitated by the fact that Slavic settlements were usually located along river banks.

Military spoils played a major role in the economy of the Eastern Slavs, as in all societies at the stage of decomposition of the tribal system: tribal leaders raided Byzantium, obtaining slaves and luxury goods there. The princes distributed part of the spoils among their fellow tribesmen, which naturally increased their prestige not only as leaders of campaigns, but also as generous benefactors.

At the same time, squads are formed around the princes - groups of permanent military comrades, friends (the word “squad” comes from the word “friend”) of the prince, a kind of professional warriors and advisers to the prince. The appearance of the squad did not mean at first the elimination of the general arming of the people, the militia, but it created the preconditions for this process. The selection of the squad is an essential stage in the creation of a class society and in the transformation of the prince’s power from tribal to state.

The increase in the number of treasures of Roman coins and silver found on the lands of the Eastern Slavs indicates the development of trade among them. The export item was grain. About the Slavic export of bread in the II-IV centuries. This is evidenced by the adoption by the Slavic tribes of the Roman grain measure - the quadrantal, which was called the quadrant (26, 26l) and existed in the Russian system of weights and measures until 1924. The scale of grain production among the Slavs is evidenced by traces of storage pits found by archaeologists that could hold up to 5 tons of grain. »

Since ancient times, pagan beliefs were widespread in Rus', placing the relationship between man and nature above all else. People believed and worshiped various Gods, spirits and other creatures. And of course, this faith was accompanied by countless rituals, holidays and sacred events, the most interesting and unusual of which we have collected in this collection.

1. Naming.

Our ancestors took the choice of a name very seriously. It was believed that a name is both a talisman and a person’s destiny. A person’s naming ceremony could occur several times during his life. The first time a newborn baby is named is done by the father. At the same time, everyone understands that this name is temporary, for children. During initiation, when a child turns 12, a naming ceremony is performed during which the priests of the old faith wash away their old childhood names in sacred waters. The name was also changed during life: for girls getting married, or for warriors on the verge of life and death, or when a person did something supernatural, heroic or outstanding.

The naming ceremony for young men took place only in flowing water (river, stream). Girls could undergo this ritual both in flowing water and in still water (lake, creek), or in Temples, Sanctuaries and other places. The ceremony was performed as follows: the person to be named takes a wax candle in his right hand. After the words spoken by the priest in a state of trance, the person being named must plunge his head into the water, holding a burning candle above the water. Little children entered the sacred waters, and nameless, renewed, pure and immaculate people emerged, ready to receive adult names from the priests, starting a completely new independent life, in accordance with the laws of the ancient heavenly gods and their clans.

2. Bath ritual.

The bath ceremony should always begin with a greeting to the Master of the Bath, or the spirit of the bath - Bannik. This greeting is also a kind of conspiracy, a conspiracy of the space and environment in which the bathing ceremony will be carried out. Usually, immediately after reading such a greeting spell, a ladle is placed on the stone hot water and the steam rising from the heater is evenly distributed with circular movements of a broom or towel throughout the steam room. This is the creation of light steam. And in the bathhouse the bath broom was called the master, or the largest (the most important), from century to century they repeated: “The bath broom is older than the king, if the king takes a steam bath”; “The broom is the boss of everyone in the bathhouse”; “In a bathhouse, a broom is more valuable than money”; “A bathhouse without a broom is like a table without salt.”

3. Trizna.

Trizna is a funeral military rite among the ancient Slavs, which consists of games, dances and competitions in honor of the deceased; mourning the dead and a funeral feast. Initially, the trinitsa consisted of an extensive ritual complex of sacrifices, war games, songs, dances and ceremonies in honor of the deceased, mourning, lamentations and a memorial feast both before and after the burning. After the adoption of Christianity in Rus', the funeral feast was preserved for a long time in the form of funeral songs and feasts, and later this ancient pagan term was replaced by the name “wake”. During sincere prayer for the dead, a deep feeling of unity with the family and ancestors always appears in the souls of those who pray, which directly testifies to our constant connection with them. This ritual helps to find peace of mind living and dead, promotes their beneficial interaction and mutual assistance.

4. Unlocking the ground.

According to legend, Yegor the Spring possesses magic keys with which he unlocks the spring land. In many villages, rituals were held during which the saint was asked to “open” the land - to give fertility to the fields, to protect livestock. The ritual action itself looked something like this. First, they chose a guy called “Yury”, gave him a lit torch, decorated him with greenery and put a round pie on his head. Then the procession, headed by “Yury,” went around the winter fields three times. After which they made a fire and asked a prayer to the saint.

In some places, women lay naked on the ground, saying: “As we roll across the field, let the bread grow into a tube.” Sometimes a prayer service was held, after which all those present rode in the winter fields so that the grain would grow well. Saint George released dew onto the ground, which was considered healing “from seven ailments and from the evil eye.” Sometimes people rode along the “St. George’s Dew” to get health, it was not without reason that they wished: “Be healthy, like St. George’s Dew!” This dew was considered beneficial for the sick and infirm, and about the hopeless they said: “Shouldn’t they go out to St. George’s dew?” On the day of Yegor the Spring, the blessing of water on rivers and other sources was performed in many places. This water was sprinkled on crops and pastures.

5. Start of construction of the house.

The beginning of house construction among the ancient Slavs was associated with a whole complex of ritual actions and rituals that prevented possible opposition from evil spirits. The most dangerous period moving to a new hut and starting life in it was considered. It was assumed that " devilry"will seek to interfere with the future well-being of the new settlers. Because before mid-19th centuries, in many places in Russia the ancient protective ritual of housewarming was preserved and carried out.

It all started with finding a place and building materials. Sometimes a cast iron pot with a spider was placed on the site. And if he began to weave a web overnight, then this was considered a good sign. In some places on the proposed site, a vessel with honey was placed in a small hole. And if goosebumps climbed into it, the place was considered happy. When choosing a safe place for construction, they often first released the cow and waited for it to lie on the ground. The place where she lay down was considered good for a future home. And in some places, the future owner had to collect four stones from different fields and lay them out on the ground in the form of a quadrangle, inside which he placed a hat on the ground and read the spell. After this, it was necessary to wait three days, and if the stones remained untouched, then the place was considered well chosen. It should also be noted that the house was never built on the site where human bones were found or where someone cut an arm or leg.

6. Mermaid week.

According to popular belief, the entire week before Trinity, mermaids were on earth, settling in forests, groves and living not far from people. The rest of the time they stayed at the bottom of reservoirs or underground. It was believed that dead unbaptized babies, girls who died of their own free will, as well as those who died before marriage or during pregnancy became mermaids. The image of a mermaid with a fish tail instead of legs was first described in literature. The restless souls of the dead, returning to earth, could destroy the growing grain, send disease to livestock, and harm the people themselves and their economy.

These days, it was unsafe for people to spend a lot of time in the fields and go far from home. It was not allowed to go into the forest alone or swim (this was of a special nature). Even livestock was not allowed out to pasture. During Trinity Week, women tried not to do their daily household chores in the form of washing clothes, sewing, weaving and other work. The whole week was considered festive, so they organized general festivities, dances, danced in round dances, mummers in mermaid costumes sneaked up on the gape, frightened and tickled them.

7. Funeral rites.

The funeral customs of the ancient Slavs, especially the Vyatichi, Radimichi, Severians, and Krivichi, are described in detail by Nestor. They performed a funeral feast over the deceased - they showed their strength in military games, equestrian competitions, songs, dances in honor of the deceased, made sacrifices, and burned the body on a large bonfire - stealing. Among the Krivichi and Vyatichi, the ashes were placed in an urn and placed on a pillar in the vicinity of roads in order to support the warlike spirit of the people - not to be afraid of death and immediately get used to the idea of ​​​​the perishability of human life. A pillar is a small funeral house, a log house, a house. Such houses survived in Russia until the beginning of the 20th century. As for the Kyiv and Volyn Slavs, from ancient times they buried the dead in the ground. Special ladders woven from belts were buried along with the body.

An interesting addition about the funeral rite of the Vyatichi can be found in the story of an unknown traveler, set out in one of Rybakov’s works. “When someone dies among them, their corpse is burned. Women, when they have a dead person, scratch their hands and faces with a knife. When the deceased is burned, they indulge in noisy fun, expressing joy at the mercy shown to him by God.”