Ancient Russia. Legends. Bylinas. Chronicles

The book represents a fundamental work by the outstanding domestic historian and archaeologist Academician B.A. Ryabakov. The author addresses the theme of Russian epic: the connection between written tradition — based on chronicle materials — and oral bylin tradition. By drawing on a vast array of source studies and folklore material, the author demonstrates numerous plot and semantic parallels between these traditions. B.A. Ryabakov dates the beginning of Russian chronicling to the 9th century, thereby revising traditionally accepted dating. The author manages to show the possibilities of decoding epic works of Russian folklore and using them within the framework of historical research.

It is aimed at students, educators, and researchers in the humanities. The completeness, clarity, and coherence of the material make the book accessible and useful for a wide range of readers.