Ancient Russian culture, the origins of its origin and the way of development

The Slavs are a huge group of peoples, occupying vast territories in Europe and Asia. These include Poles, Czechs, Bulgarians, Serbs, Croats, Russians, Ukrainians, Byelorussians and others. Each of these ethnic groups has its own history and culture. This article will focus on the culture of the Eastern Slavs, Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians.

The Old Russian state began to form from the second half of the 9th century. These were extraordinary and difficult years. The Slavs, who inherited the religion, way of life and customs of their ancestors, lived in harmony with nature, worshiped the gods of nature and phenomena, such as the god of the sun Dazhd-god, the god of Thunder and Lightning Perun, the god Wind Stribog and others. People lived simply, engaged mainly in agriculture, cattle breeding, and in the forest zones hunting and gathering. For protection from the enemy and for more successful conduct of their activities, they created disparate communities, all important matters in which the council of elders or veche decided.

To create any buildings people, especially those who lived in the forest belt, used wood. I must say that the skilful and talented Russian people created unique in terms of artistic design details of wooden houses, carved platbands, similar to thin lace, decorated with intricate patterns roof skates, shutters. Plots were taken from the Russian epic or closely interwoven with people's ideas about nature and natural phenomena. The culture of the Slavs included oral narratives, legends and epic stories passed from mouth to mouth. Often they were sung by special singers-guslars or narrators who narrated in a sing-song manner. Writing, according to some sources, the Slavs did not exist, there was only a nodular letter. But other sources say that the writing was still there. It was based on the ancient Greek alphabet, and it was on it that the famous Veles book was written. The dispute over the authenticity of this cultural monument does not cease until now, but whatever it was, the book existed. Also interesting are the religious rites of the Slavs, including hymns, and round dances, and various sacrifices to their gods, right up to human. This was the foundation of ancient Russian culture.

By the second half of the 9th century, radical changes began to take place in the life of the Slavs. The death of Prince Svyatoslav was the beginning of a struggle for power between his sons. Oleg dies at the hands of his brother Yaropolk, who, in turn, is killed by the illegitimate Vladimir. Becoming an autocratic ruler, he seeks to win the people's love and stop internecine strife, thereby strengthening the ancient Russian state. Raised in the dogmas of paganism, Vladimir first follows this religion religiously, erects a whole pantheon of habitual and revered gods from childhood, even legitimizes human sacrifices on the Kiev temple.

Such a policy absolutely does not suit the strong Byzantium at that time, which had long ago put an end to the original gods and passed to Christianity. Vladimir, that in future his state prospered, as air needs cooperation with its powerful neighbor. Under the pressure of circumstances, the prince renounces the faith of his ancestors and accepts Christianity. This phase was a turning point. The culture of the ancient Russian state, having received a fresh breath of a new, hitherto unfamiliar culture, begins to change and change.

The changes affected absolutely all spheres. In Christianity, divine services do not take place in the open, temples are built for this. In churches there is always painting. Various ecclesiastical books are needed to conduct church services. All this required new knowledge and new technologies. Ancient Russian culture began to develop immediately in many directions. In cities, the construction of churches began. Some of them were built in the old-fashioned way, from wood, but under the guidance of Greek masters Russian architects learn the art of erecting buildings from stone. A vivid example of this are the Church of the Tithes and St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev, St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod, Troitsky in Pskov and many others. Mastered the art of icon painting, mosaics and fresco paintings. The subjects were mainly taken from the church scriptures. Also depicted princes and important events in the life of the people. Simultaneously with the erection of stone churches began to develop the construction of stone walls, palaces and houses of the nobility. Now the unique patterns and carvings were made on stone, but were as skillful and unusually beautiful as they were before in wood.

For the service in the new temples and for the tremendous educational work that was conducted among the population, for many years in the soul of the pagans who remained, personnel were needed. Therefore, the construction of monasteries began at a rapid pace. Ancient Russian culture owes much of its development to the monks, who at that time were considered the most enlightened stratum of society. The first monks came from the same Greece. But local theologians quickly adopted knowledge and soon themselves carried God's word to the people. The most famous of them are the Kiev Hilarion, Novgorod Luka Zhidyata, Pechersky Theodosius, and also the monk Nestor, who wrote his "Tale of Bygone Years", Nikon and others.

Simultaneously with the architecture and theology, writing and book printing developed. Some researchers believe that writing in Russia appeared with the assertion of Christianity, when two brothers, Cyril and Mythodius, who came from Thessaloniki, created the alphabet on which the first church books were written. Other researchers hold the view that their Cyrillic alphabet is just an improved Glagolitic that existed before the appearance of Christianity. Proof of this is the inscription found in Preslav in Glagoliticus, dating back to 893, while Vladimir's baptism took place only in 988. Nevertheless, since the end of the 9th century, many Greek books have been translated into Russian, Jewish and Syrian texts, for example, "Alexandria" about Alexander the Great, the chronicles of Amartol and Sinkella, Esther, and many others. Ancient Russian culture is rich and domestic unique literary creations. One of the most famous is "The Lay of Igor's Host", as well as "The Life of Boris and Gleb", "The Kiev Pechersk Patericon", "The Walking" of Daniel Abbot and others. So, along with church books, life descriptions of princes and military leaders appear, stories of glorious and inglorious campaigns, epics and myths are written down.

In addition to literature, architecture and church painting, a new direction in the development received all the crafts. Jewelers create unique in beauty and complexity ornaments, pottery dishes, which are decorated with interesting ornaments, Russian folklore is developing.

A distinctive feature of the culture of Rus is that, having acquired new knowledge and new forms in art, the Russian people did not depart from their traditions, thereby bringing their unique coloring to architecture, painting, music and all crafts.