Birch bark manuscript No 2 from Zvenyhorod

The article is devoted to the repeated study of the only fully preserved in Ukraine, birch bark letter No 2, founded on the territory of the annalistic city of Zvenyhorod. Based on the analysis of research materials and a recently published photo of the original document, in high resolution on the website of the State Archival Service of Ukraine, the previously published studies were verified for their compliance with the original. A brief historiography review devoted to the study of the document is carried out. The places of finding the site, the method of its plasticization are described. Differences were revealed not only in the transcription of the text of the birch bark manuscript, but also in its translation and interpretation in the works of scientists. Given this, the points of discussion have been singled out, inaccuracies have been identified that do not correspond to the text of the document. Own transcript was made. Emphasis is placed on the differences and difficulties of translation, their argumentation is characterized and our view on the problem of translation and interpretation is offered. The conducted researches make it possible to confidently date the Zvenyhorod birch bark manuscript to the first half of the XII-th century and to outline the location of the addressee in the land of Peremyshl. The document is a letter of claim written, presumably, by the widow of the late Hovin, to whom the addressee owed money, as became known as a result of his death note, which was recorded by the priest. This, in turn, indicates that this document reflects not only economic relations, but also the content of one of the first known testaments of the princely era in our area, and therefore is an important source for the study of spiritual culture in particular. In addition, the details of its text allow us to conclude that in the first half of the XII century on the territory of at least Peremyshl and Zvenyhorod lands there were social and legal relations, which were governed by articles of “Rus' Justice”. Key words: testament, charter, Rus’, Zvenyhorod, writing system, economic relations

Archaeology · Argumentation theory · Art · Geography · Historiography · Linguistics · Literature · Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies · Byzantine Studies and History · Historical and Archaeological Studies · History · Philosophy · Forestry

• Rivers in everyday life of the population of the West of Ukraine and during war conflicts of the Early Middle Ages

  Open Access•Volodymyr PETEHYRYCH•Materials and Studies on…•2024

  Add to list

• Find of an Ancient Rus Lead Letter at Polonne in Khmelnytskyi Oblast

  Open Access•Senior Research Fellow National Reserve «Sofia Kyivska» PhD, Tymur Bobrovskyi…•Arheologia•2022

  Add to list