Kyj, Shchek and Choriv

Kyj, Shchek and Choriv. Image from the 15th century in the Radziwiłł Chronicle

Kyj, Schchek and Choriw ( Ukrainian Кий, Щек і Хорив ) are, together with their sister Lybiddie ( Либідь ), the legendary founders of Kiev .

The legend according to which the brothers founded a city on the hills above the Dnepr and named it after the oldest of the brothers Kyj ("Kiev" = 'City of Kyj', old Russian and Ukrainian: Kyiv), can be found in the Nestor Chronicle (" Tale of the Past ”), the oldest surviving East Slavic chronicle and one of the most important written sources for the history of the Kievan Rus . According to Slavic mythology , Kyj also appeared as a dragon fighter.

The altar of the Kia temple

Archaeological excavations in Kiev have found a settlement from the 6th century. It is believed that the siblings could be real nobles from the Polanen tribe from the end of the 5th century to the beginning of the 6th century.

See also : Kiev # From the foundation to the Middle Ages

Web links

Commons : Kyj, Shchek and Khoriv  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Three brothers - founders of Kiev - folk legends and sagas (Ukrainian)
• Old Russia Kyi, Schek, Horeb Lybed (Russian)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ GW Vernadski "Old Russia" ; last accessed on April 6, 2014 (Russian)
2. ↑ Old legend about the founding of Kiev ; last accessed on April 6, 2014 (Ukrainian)
3. ↑ The story of recent years ; last accessed on April 6, 2014 (Ukrainian)