DOI Artikel:
Chernetsov, A. V.: [Rezension von: T.N. Korobushkina, Zemledeliye na territorii Belorussii v X-XIII vv.]
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49001#0066
REVIEW
T. N. Korobushkina: Zemledeliye na territorii
Belornssii v X-XIII vv. (Agriculture in Byelorus-
sia, X-XIIIth cent.). Minsk, 1979, 118 p., 23 fig.
5 pl.
The book is published by the Institute of History,
Academy of Sciences of the Byelorussian Repub-
lic. It is a dissertation, successfully defended by
the author, who was awarded a scientific degree
of candidate of historical sciences.
A general survey of medieval Russian agricul-
ture before the XHIth cent, by V. I.Dovzhenok
(1961) marked the end of the initial stage of
investigations in this field. Now follows the
period of fundamental studies of special branches
of the problem and of more detailed analyses
within different regions. The book by
T. N. Korobushkina is one of the first works of
the second type (the first was by Kirianov in
1959, on material relating to the Novgorod
lands).
The book is based generally on archaeological
data, mostly from recent excavations. The mate-
rial available for the history of Byelorussian agri-
culture is now incomparably more plentiful than
10 to 20 years ago. For example V. I.Dov-
zhenok’s catalogue of finds of shares lists only 3
examples from Byelorussia, while TN. Koro-
bushkina describes 34 finds from 18 sites.
The book has an introduction and 4 chapters:
»Climate and soil conditions”, “Soil-cultivation
tools”, “Tools of harvesting crops and processing
of cultivated plants” and “Cultivated plants and
systems of agriculture”.
The most representative materials are published
in chapters II and III. T. N. Korobushkina pub-
lishes a rare find of outstanding interest - a
wooden ard of the XHIth cent, from the excava-
tions in Brest (Brzesc Litewski) - p. 15 fig. 1,1.
The shares from medieval Byelorussia belong to
different types. They are generally parts of ards
and not of the sokha, which spread there later
(fig. 1-5). Medieval Byelorussian sickles (59 ex-
amples) are well described and classified after
V.P.Levashova’s system: the character of curves
of their blades is reflected in special diagrams.
Among the other materials rather numerous
well-preserved wooden objects must be men-
tioned (fig. 12, 13). Many of them are from Brest
with its excellent soil-conditions. There are 2
finds of extreme interest - mortars having foot-
operated pestles attached (fig. 16). Such “foot-
mortars” have ethnographic analogues.
The paleobotanic part describes finds from 18
sites. These finds characterise the picture, known
in other parts of medieval Russia - the growth of
the role of winter crops of rye (known here
already in the IXth cent, (p.72, 73)), which is
probably connected with the establishment of
three-field system (or of some of its predecessors,
involving fallow). It is to be noted that buck-
wheat is known in Byelorussian sites in XI-
Xlllth cent, layers. This plant was considered by
many scientists to spread over Byelorussia in later
periods (p. 94).
The book ends with a bibliography (p. 104-
116).
T.N. Korobushkina’s book represents a great
interest for specialists, above all because of the
important and wide range of material introduced.
Many aspects of the book can be used for com-
parative studies.
A. V. Chernetsov
(Moscow)
T. N. Korobushkina: Zemledeliye na territorii
Belornssii v X-XIII vv. (Agriculture in Byelorus-
sia, X-XIIIth cent.). Minsk, 1979, 118 p., 23 fig.
5 pl.
The book is published by the Institute of History,
Academy of Sciences of the Byelorussian Repub-
lic. It is a dissertation, successfully defended by
the author, who was awarded a scientific degree
of candidate of historical sciences.
A general survey of medieval Russian agricul-
ture before the XHIth cent, by V. I.Dovzhenok
(1961) marked the end of the initial stage of
investigations in this field. Now follows the
period of fundamental studies of special branches
of the problem and of more detailed analyses
within different regions. The book by
T. N. Korobushkina is one of the first works of
the second type (the first was by Kirianov in
1959, on material relating to the Novgorod
lands).
The book is based generally on archaeological
data, mostly from recent excavations. The mate-
rial available for the history of Byelorussian agri-
culture is now incomparably more plentiful than
10 to 20 years ago. For example V. I.Dov-
zhenok’s catalogue of finds of shares lists only 3
examples from Byelorussia, while TN. Koro-
bushkina describes 34 finds from 18 sites.
The book has an introduction and 4 chapters:
»Climate and soil conditions”, “Soil-cultivation
tools”, “Tools of harvesting crops and processing
of cultivated plants” and “Cultivated plants and
systems of agriculture”.
The most representative materials are published
in chapters II and III. T. N. Korobushkina pub-
lishes a rare find of outstanding interest - a
wooden ard of the XHIth cent, from the excava-
tions in Brest (Brzesc Litewski) - p. 15 fig. 1,1.
The shares from medieval Byelorussia belong to
different types. They are generally parts of ards
and not of the sokha, which spread there later
(fig. 1-5). Medieval Byelorussian sickles (59 ex-
amples) are well described and classified after
V.P.Levashova’s system: the character of curves
of their blades is reflected in special diagrams.
Among the other materials rather numerous
well-preserved wooden objects must be men-
tioned (fig. 12, 13). Many of them are from Brest
with its excellent soil-conditions. There are 2
finds of extreme interest - mortars having foot-
operated pestles attached (fig. 16). Such “foot-
mortars” have ethnographic analogues.
The paleobotanic part describes finds from 18
sites. These finds characterise the picture, known
in other parts of medieval Russia - the growth of
the role of winter crops of rye (known here
already in the IXth cent, (p.72, 73)), which is
probably connected with the establishment of
three-field system (or of some of its predecessors,
involving fallow). It is to be noted that buck-
wheat is known in Byelorussian sites in XI-
Xlllth cent, layers. This plant was considered by
many scientists to spread over Byelorussia in later
periods (p. 94).
The book ends with a bibliography (p. 104-
116).
T.N. Korobushkina’s book represents a great
interest for specialists, above all because of the
important and wide range of material introduced.
Many aspects of the book can be used for com-
parative studies.
A. V. Chernetsov
(Moscow)