The Scandinavians among the First Settlers of Novgorod on the Basis of Archaeological Evidence

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of the cultural and ethnic characteristics of first settlers of Novgorod. The previous historiography is reviewed. The revision of the archaeological collections enabled to increase the number and categories of Scandinavian objects, while the Slavonic component remains unclear. The Scandinavians must have been among the founders of Novgorod already in 930–950 A. D. The pattern of distribution of the Scandinavian objects suggests a free resettlement of Norsemen in the town. The “Poromon courtyard” mentioned in the Primary Rus’ Chronicle cannot be regarded as a court of the overseas merchants. The Scandinavians in Novgorod were not directly connected to the ethno-social group of Rus’-Rhôs linked to the Ryurikids. The archaeologically attested end of the Varangian presence in the town was caused by the cessation of payment of tributum pacis to the Varangians after the death of Prince Yaroslav the Wise. The tradition of the Russian historiography to underestimate the participation of the Scandinavians in the early development of Novgorod is stemmed from the “auto-censorship” of the Stalinist period, turning later into “scholarly inertia”.