Birch_bark letter by boy Onfim, Novgorod. 13th century. History Museum,Moscow.
. Birch-bark manuscripts represent one of the most enigmatic phenomena of Russian history. Proved to be amazingly long-lasting, they open up unlimited possibilities for learning about the past in historical areas where quests for new sources were recognized hopeless.
The farther into the depth of centuries, the less written evidences. Birch-bark manuscripts found in the 20th century allow looking into remote centuries of our past.
Birch-bark manuscripts used to be a common element of medieval Novgorod household. Dwellers of Novgorod constantly wrote and read letters, tore them up and threw them away, just like we get rid of unwanted or used papers today.
Museums and archives harbor pretty many documents written on birch bark. There are latest manuscripts of the 17-19th cc, entire books among them. Thus, in 1715 in Siberia tribute to the Moscow tsar was recorded in a birch-bark book that has come down to us. Ethnographer S.V.Maksimov who saw a birch-bark book at the settlement of Old-Believers on Mezen’ River in the mid 19th century was very enthusiastic about that writing material, which was already out of common use in Russia. (By Courtesy of http://www.russia-ic.com/culture_art/visual_arts/1029/)
The farther into the depth of centuries, the less written evidences. Birch-bark manuscripts found in the 20th century allow looking into remote centuries of our past.
Birch-bark manuscripts used to be a common element of medieval Novgorod household. Dwellers of Novgorod constantly wrote and read letters, tore them up and threw them away, just like we get rid of unwanted or used papers today.
Museums and archives harbor pretty many documents written on birch bark. There are latest manuscripts of the 17-19th cc, entire books among them. Thus, in 1715 in Siberia tribute to the Moscow tsar was recorded in a birch-bark book that has come down to us. Ethnographer S.V.Maksimov who saw a birch-bark book at the settlement of Old-Believers on Mezen’ River in the mid 19th century was very enthusiastic about that writing material, which was already out of common use in Russia. (By Courtesy of http://www.russia-ic.com/culture_art/visual_arts/1029/)
Fifteenth Century Trader of Siberia.
The Indian traders, particularly Aroras were established in Moscow , St. Petersburg and nearby on the Silk-Road, which starts from China and passes through Monglia. The words "Tenka" and "Nanna" in the "Landa" of Traders in this drawing confirms the existence of Indian traders in Moscow and Siberia in 13th century onwards.
Bibliography:
(1)---PP 20 0f " A History Of Russian Literature-11th -17th Ceturies, published by Raduga Publihers, Moscow, 1989.
(2)---www.russia-ic.com/culture-art/visual-arts/1029
Copy Right 2010, by Bhai Harpal Singh Kasoor.
Bibliography:
(1)---PP 20 0f " A History Of Russian Literature-11th -17th Ceturies, published by Raduga Publihers, Moscow, 1989.
(2)---www.russia-ic.com/culture-art/visual-arts/1029
Copy Right 2010, by Bhai Harpal Singh Kasoor.