World culture: Laurentian Codex nominated for the UNESCO’S Memory of the World Programme

22 February 2012
Source: The National Library of Russia

February 17, 2012 in Moscow, under the chairmanship of A. N. Artizov, Head of the Federal Archival Agency was held a meeting of the Russian Committee of the UNESCO’s “Memory of the World" Program.

The subject of the meeting was the proposals for the inclusion of the cultural heritage sites of Russia in the UNESCO’s "Memory of the World" international register. Under the international regulations, each country can submit for annual inclusion to the Register no more than two sites.

After thorough discussion it was decided to nominate the Laurentian Codex (1377), a unique hand-written book, one of the most valuable monuments of cultural and historical heritage, for the "Memory of the World" in 2012. This chronicle contains the oldest extant list of the "Tale of Bygone Years", the first Russian chronicles dating the early 12th century, whose author is believed to be a monk of Kiev-Pechersk Monastery Nestor. For the year of 862, the text of the Chronicle provides a story about the calling of the Varangians to Russia. The story of the chronicle was the basis of the known historical concept that relates the event with the foundation of Russian statehood.

The Laurentian Codex was created in 1377 in Nizhny Novgorod. The bulk of the work of writing the text had been carried out by the monk Lawrence, after whom the book was named. During its existence, the book has repeatedly changed owners.

In the 1790's the valuable manuscript was acquired by A. I. Musin-Pushkin and in 1811 he granted it to the Emperor Alexander I. This gift was soon transferred to the Imperial Public Library (now the Russian National Library), where it is kept to this day.

The second nominee was a collection of the Russian State Archive of Ancient Deeds (RGADA) containing preserved documents from the Archives of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, the archives of Novgorod the Great and Pskov, Russian principalities and kingdoms dating the period from the 13th to the early 16th century. It includes 470 items.