From history books we know that Slavs are one of the largest ethnic communities in the Old World. However, it is not clear to the end who they were or where they came from. We will try to study these meager information in crumbs, and also dwell on more reliable facts about the life, life, culture and beliefs of these tribes.
Who are they?
Let’s try to find out if the Slavs are who, where they came from to Europe and why they left their homeland. There are several versions on this subject. Some historians believe that Slavic tribes did not come from anywhere, but lived here since the creation of the world. Other scholars consider them descendants of the Scythians or Sarmatians, while others refer to other nationalities that emerged from the depths of Asia, including the Aryans. But it is unrealistic to draw conclusions accurately, each hypothesis has its own shortcomings and white spots.
It is generally accepted that the Slavs are an Indo-European people who ended up in the Old World during the Great Migration. He lost touch with kindred Germanic tribes due to the great distance and went his own way of development. But many adherents have the theory that this ethnic community came from Asia after the Flood, assimilating along the way with local residents and founding centers of civilizations - the Etruscans, Greeks and Romans, and then settled on the Balkans, the banks of the Vistula, Dniester and Dnieper. The chronicler Nestor believes that the Slavs came to Russia after the Babel of Babel.
The name of the ethnic group is no less controversial. Some researchers are convinced that the Slavs mean "literate people who own the word," others translate the name as "glorious" or look for its origins in the name of the Dnieper - Slavutich.
The main activities of our ancestors
So, we found out that the Slavs are nomadic tribes that settled. They were united by a common language, beliefs, traditions. And what were the occupations of the Slavs? There are no options, of course, this is agriculture. In the forest zones, it was first necessary to prepare the site by cutting down trees and uprooting stumps. In the forest-steppe regions, grass was first burned, and then the ground was fertilized with ash, loosened and planted seeds. Of the tools used a plow, plow, harrow. From crops they grew millet, rye, wheat, barley, peas, hemp, and flax.
The remaining occupations of the Slavs were aimed at the production of tools for agriculture (blacksmithing), as well as to ensure domestic needs (pottery). Livestock was highly developed: our ancestors raised sheep, horses, goats, and pigs. In addition, they used the gifts of the forest: they collected mushrooms, berries, honey from forest bees, hunted wild birds and animals. This was traded with the neighbors, and the first money is considered to be marten skins.
Culture
The calm life of the Slavs favored the development of culture. Agriculture remained the main occupation of the community, but decorative and applied crafts also developed (weaving, jewelry, woodcarving, bone and metal, cooper, leatherwork). They also had the rudiments of writing.
Our ancestors lived in communities, important decisions were made at a general meeting. The community owned meadows, arable land, and pastures. But each person could have his own property and livestock. At the head of the tribal union was the prince, who relied on the boyar-estates. These were respected people who were elected during the national assembly, then they turned into a local nobility.
In everyday life, the Slavs were unpretentious, easily endured the vagaries of weather, hunger. But they remained proud, freedom-loving, brave and loyal to their community, their kind. The guest was always greeted with bread and salt, offering the best that was in the house.
Restless neighbors
The Slavs settled between Europe and Asia, in lands with a unique reserve of resources and fertile soil. They occupied a vast territory almost painlessly, as there was enough space for everyone. But the wealth of the earth attracted the robbers. The restless neighbors of the Slavs - nomadic Avars, Khazars, Pechenegs and Polovtsy - constantly raided villages. Our ancestors had to unite against them and together beat the uninvited guests. This taught them military affairs, constant preparedness for danger, a frequent change of habitat, and endurance. But the Slavs themselves were militant, friendly, they respected the rights of others, never had slaves.
Instead of a conclusion
Before Prince Vladimir baptized Russia, the Slavs were pagans. They worshiped the forces of nature, built temples and created idols, offered them sacrifices (not human). The cult of ancestors, including the dead, was especially developed. Christianity allowed the Old Russian state to become closer to Europe, but at the same time stole a lot. Objects of material, spiritual and cultural value were destroyed, and what distinguished the Slavs from other peoples was lost. A certain symbiosis appeared, which, although it had elements of the previous culture, was formed under the influence of Byzantium. But this, as they say, is a completely different story ...