Ancient Rus. From Principalities to Early Statehood. IX—XI centuries

The book by the famous archaeologist and historian, Doctor of Historical Sciences E.A. Shinakov, is dedicated to one of the key themes in the history of Russia - the formation of the Ancient Russian state. The research is based on a complex of sources - both written (Russian and foreign) and material (archaeological and numismatic), as well as comparative-ethnographic. It employs the methodology of political (sociocultural) anthropology, a comparative approach, and statistical-combinatorial methods. The main conclusion of the book is that the formation of the Ancient Russian state was not a single event (the call of Rurik or the annexation of Kiev by Oleg), but a process that stretched over two hundred years, occurring from the IX to the XI century in three phases, the content of which the author analyzes. The publication is intended not only for specialists and students but also for a wide range of readers interested in the early pages of the history of the Russian people and the Ancient Russian state.