Russian history: Exhibition “The Origins of the Russian State” in Saint-Petersburg

In the main building of the National Library of Russia (Saint-Petersburg) on May 10, 2012 started a book exhibition “The Origins of the Russian State”.

The materials of the Russian documents and the Cartography department of NLR are presented to a wide circle of readers, covering the period of the Russian history from the appearance of the Slavic tribes to the formation of a centralized state in the 15th century.

Among the exhibits there is a modern multi-volume scholarly edition of ancient origins of the Lavrentyev, the Ipatyev, the Sofia, the Lvov and other chronicles which are the main sources of the historical knowledge.

The exhibition also presents works of Russian scholars on the history of the Old Russian state.

The revolutionary changes of the 20th century brought a natural rethinking of the history. In the rare works of the first Soviet historians of 20-30s of the 20th century of M. N. Pokrovsky, V. L. Snegiriov, A. E. Presniakov and others are fully reflected the methods of the class approach and the Marxist ideology.

The regular change of views on the history of the end of 20th – early 21st centuries gives opportunity to a modern reader to get acquainted with various scientific methods and new concepts of still popular topics: the origin of the Slavs and the appearance of Scandinavians in Russia, the formation of the first Russian principalities and their relationship with nomads. Also attention is paid to the literature that tells us about strengthening of Muscovy and the completion of the centralization of Russia.

The exhibition runs until June 13.