What is a grid woman? This term refers to an object that does not currently exist. Therefore, difficulties can arise with its definition. We will tell you as much as possible in this article about what a grid woman is in Ancient Russia.
From the dictionary
In them you can find four options for the meaning of the word "Gridnitsa":
- This is a large room where the prince with his team gathered for various events. For example, a feast, a meeting, ceremonies.
- This is a room for a princely court.
- From the 11th century, prisoners were kept in a grid. That is, the room was used as a prison.
- This is a one-room log house, otherwise called a cage.
Next, it will be examined in detail what a grid woman is.
Princely palace
Gridnitsa in the IX-XVII centuries. It was a large palace designed for warriors. They were placed there either permanently or temporarily.
The roof of the grid woman relied on large wooden poles. About 400 people could be accommodated in these huge rooms, which allowed them to hold feasts and ceremonies.
Gridnitsa could be detached, not having a direct connection with the residential palace. The first palaces of princes, built in Kiev, just bore this name. This is what the grid woman is in the first meaning of the word.
Other options
Since the end of the XI century, Gridnitsa are also used in another capacity - as prisons. This was due to the fact that cellars and cuts were no longer enough. At first, only noble captive warriors were placed in the grid. Among them was the Polovtsian Khan Kobyak, which became known from the "Word on Igor's Regiment".
Gridnitsa lasted the longest in cities such as Pskov and Novgorod. But, judging by the mentions in the annals, their purpose has changed. In Novgorod, buildings related to civil architecture, which were supposedly called the word “grid”, were special towers in the squares where the veche was held.
They placed bells - veche, ulitan and konchansky. The last two definitions are related to self-government units in Novgorod, which, among other things, were streets and ends. In addition, meetings were held in Gridnitsa of the representatives of Kazan.
As for Pskov, the buildings called gridnitsy there, in all likelihood, served to maintain the cattle cattle. That is a public that belonged to residents.
The crate is also a grid woman
The basis of the Russian national home is the crate. It is a simple rectangular log house, consisting of one room and not having annexes. If the crate was large (as a rule, it belonged to a wealthy owner), then it was called a grid woman.
What was such a room? It had an area of 6-10 square meters, was constructed without window openings with a height of 10-12 logs. Its roof was thatched. The crate differed from the hut in that it might not have heating in it. It was used not only as housing, but also in order to store various supplies.
Such a grid box was installed on the sole, that is, directly on the ground, on poles, cuts and chippings. The latter were a prototype of the foundation. Logs were laid with moss, the floors were laid on lounges or luggage.
People richer insulated ladies with hemp, flax, tow, which were of poor quality. They upholstered ceilings and walls with felt or linen. From the inside, the walls were sheathed with linden boards or tesa. The ceiling, called the ceiling, was laid on the matrices. It consisted of boards or logs chopped in half. It was coated with clay, and sifted earth was poured over it for insulation.
Now we know what a grid woman is in different meanings. In conclusion, we consider the origin of the word.
Etymology
According to some researchers, the lexeme under study comes from the word “grid”, or “grid”, meaning the prince's retinue. Formed from the old Russian "Gridin" - a warrior, a princely bodyguard.
The latter came to us from the ancient Scandinavians. They had the concepts of gridi, gridmar, which translate as “bodyguard” and “comrade”. They come from the noun neuter grid. It is interpreted as "a refuge at someone's house."
In addition, some etymologists believe that the term comes from:
- Scandinavian gred, meaning "sword", or hird, hirdin - the so-called princely bodyguards;
- Irish grid, which means "house", "yard", and "grids" - this is "yard", "yard people".