Boris stones
The Boris stones ( Belarusian Барысавы камяні , Baryssawy kamjani , [ barɨsavɨ Kamani ]; Russian камни Борисовы , Borissowy kamni ), also called Dwinasteine ( Russian Двинские камни , Dwinskije kamni ), seven medieval artifacts along the banks of the Western Dvina between Polotsk and Verkhnyadswinsk in Belarus . They probably date back to pre-Christian times in the region, but were provided with text and an image of Christ in the 12th century . The largest of the stones has a diameter of 17 meters.
history
Although these boundary stones were described by Maciej Stryjkowski in the 16th century , it was Georg Cancrin who first brought them to scientific attention in 1818. Cancrin discovered that a boulder near Orsha bore the following inscription: "In 1171, on the 7th day of March, this cross was completed. Lord, please help your servant Basil, whose other name is Rogvolod, son of Boris . "
Various other boulders with Boris' name were later discovered. In the 1930s, two of these were blown up as religious objects by the Soviet authorities, and their remains were used to pave the road between Minsk and Moscow. Another was thrown into the river where it lay until it was discovered in 1988. While trying to retrieve it, the stone broke into three parts. Three other boulders were moved to be exhibited near St. Sophia Cathedral in Polatsk , the Rock Museum in Minsk and in Kolomenskoye near Moscow .
description
Both names are somewhat misleading: only four of them are settled along the banks of the Dvina, and one of the stones does not mention Boris at all. What unites them is their well-defined illustration: "In each case, the center piece is an enormous cross, flanked by abbreviated elements of the conventional Greek legend of Christ's Victory." It is commonly believed that the Boris mentioned in the inscriptions Rogovolod Vseslavich (baptismal name "Boris") is, Vseslav's son, although it is very likely that such boulders were worshiped by pagan Slavs before the country was Christianized .
literature
- Simon Franklin: Writing, Society and Culture in Early Rus, c. 950-1300 . Cambridge UP, 2002, ISBN 978-0-521-81381-5 .
- Памяць: Гіст.-дакум. хроніка Полацка / Рэд. Г. П. Пашкоў. - Мн .: БелЭн, 2002.
- Рыбаков, Б. А. Русские датированные надписи XI - XIV веков. - М., 1964.
- Карский, Е. Ф. Труды по белорусскому и другим славянским языкам. - М., 1962.
- Дучыц, Л. У. Барысавы камяні // Энцыклапедыя гісторыі Беларусі. У 18 тт. Т. 1. - Мінск, 1993. - С. 315. ISBN 5-85700-074-2 .
- Дучыц, Л. У. Барысавы камяні: (гістарыяграфічны агляд) // Весці АН БССР. Серыя грамадскіх навук. 1985. № 4
Individual evidence
Web links
Coordinates: 55 ° 29 ′ 8 " N , 28 ° 45 ′ 29" E