История / 2. Общая история

рostgr. stud. Vasylenko D., teach. Shapoval L.

Kremenchuk Mykhailo Ostrogradskyi National University

The Dominance of Gender Factor in Primeval System of Ancient Slavs and in Social Relations of Kyiv Rus Epoch

Woman — is one of the most important forces in the world. She is a carrier of the civilized race to which it belongs to. Ukrainian reality of the end of ХХ beginning ХХІ centuries tells us about that the modern female representative of Ukrainian society has characteristics of strong and independent woman. Nowadays women are mainly guided by provision themselves and their children by their own, the ability of managing household and other problems. Self-sufficiency becomes the key feature of the modern Ukrainian women. In the conditions of globalization a feminine question which existed before changes radically its existent status. Today the new actual problems of determination of woman’s role are set in modern Ukraine, and the subsequent progress of humanity is impossible not solving ones. Some scientists are even inclined to consider that «modern feminine motion served as a motive for expansion of scientific researches». But research workers are still asking the question whether self-sufficiency of Ukrainian women is a consequence of historical evolution of Ukrainian woman — from ancient times and till now. Authors consider it reasonable to begin the study of these processes with the structural recreation of primitive and socio-political status of women of times of the ancient Slavs and Kyiv Rus.

This problem is being studied by following scientists as as Sreznevskyi I., Kostomarov M., Storozhenko I., Krizhanivskyi M., Pushkareva N., Kabush M., Baranovska M. All researchers of this subject mark the special place of woman-beregynia (homekeeper) in the kindred and socio-political relations of Slavs and rusychi.

The solution of feminine problem of ancient Slavs times of Kyiv Rus is possible only on condition of analysis of influence of social standards of thought and conduct, which on the essence are the display of masculine look to the problem of feminine rights and possibilities. Unfortunately all known for us historical sources which light up these historical periods were written with men-chroniclers and that is why many events, which characterize Slavonic women, their lives and acts, were produced or defined as such that do not deserve attention.

From the earliest times the ancient Slavs respected and worshiped Goddess-mother, because considered her as family keeper. The heathen beliefs of Slavs carried in themself good subsoil for development of cult of mother on our lands. The worship of Goddess-mother was the most personal touch of forming of religious consciousness of many most ancient Slavonic tribes. The lullaby of all religions was feminine nature which was impregnated and blossomed from a contact with masculine nature. A man and woman began the world, and the most expressive attributes of their gender glorified. Love to the mother, the single breadwinner and protectress of her children and family was also praised by ancient religions.

Most devoted worshippers of Beregynia were Tripiltsi and Kimmeriytsi. Exactly due to Tripilya cultural layer we can learn about a pantheon praslavs’ gods. First and, presumably, a main place in this pantheon legally belongs to Large Goddess-mother — to the feminine beginning of fertility, the picture of playback functions of Earth, women, was represented in which, nature on the whole.

A woman-ancestor is presented with clay images of stout mature women which are giving birth. In clay of these statuettes grain or flour of it were added. The picture of «funerals» of grain in land (sowing) and its «resurrections» (spring stair) is represented the idea of eternal reincarnation, revival of the souls of late relatives, through the bodies of new-born children. On the stomach of Goddess the rhombus is represented, divided into four parts with dots (grains) in the middle — the symbol of the field under crop. They probably symbolize Holiday of Harvest, the autumn agrarian period. The statuettes of Goddness are often marked with spiral serpents that twined around her breasts and or stomach (amulet of pregnancy).

With every next generation of pre-Slavs of worship of cult of Mother passes to the high-quality new level, when Bereginia is identified with Goddess-mother. All these changes have caused the emergence in the most ancient society not only the worship to one woman-progenitress, but to the whole pantheon of feminine gods.

Some changes concerning society toward the feminine origin begin and filled with new maintenance, in a period of emergence and becoming of the first state education on the territory of Slavonic lands — Kyiv Rus.

Next to the names of large duchesses, in Rusichi’s chronicles it is possible to find the names of prince’s sisters and daughters, which were the participants of intestine strife, love affairs, feudal wars, and even simply personages which succeded in cultural and social life of Rus principalities.

The first mention about authorities of women for a possesity of certain property is contained in one of the most early legal monuments — Agreement of 911, made by Prince Oleh with Byzantium, which confirmed a right for a woman to reserve part of general with a man property even in case if a man did murder and appeared before a law: «Whether committed a murder, but also wife that put to death and has to follow the law...». In other words, in that property, which was got by the wife of criminal by law was and it own decision, «fate», separate from husband’s one (because speech goes in the article about returning of «his part», that to part of husband, relatives). A feminine property possession which is named in RP by «part» probably, included a dowry and that is not included in his composition some parafernal property is a property of wife, which it could dispose of at her own discretion.

Afterwards wife’s parafernal property was passed to the man only on the basis of commission, and providing of management honesty a legal mortgage served them on property of man in behalf of wife. A more stumper is about that, whether a woman owned by something except for a dowry. More clear is a structure of «part», which was owned by a woman in connection with the repeated married life. Presumably, it foremost that dowry in relation to which Old Russian women owned a right for not only a possession but also disposition.

Otherwise emergence of woman’s independent property would be inexplicable in marriage, and meantime already Regulation of Prince Volodymyr considers on principle possible disputes concerning a property. That Regulation is foreseen by possibility of conflict of widow with brothers, daughter-in-law, mother-in-law and own children. Thus, legislative monuments of X-XIII centuries, enable to assert that a woman is socially free, and belonged to the privileged state.

If woman is married repeatedly, she could possess except her dowry and some by parafernalproperty which could appear for it for years the married life (as a result of free order the dowries) or be widowed at implementation of guardian's functions.

Concerning the developement of norms of guardian’s right there is a presence in to Ancient Rus of institute of feminine guardianship, which then was not yet known by Estern European the Middle Ages. It is possible to assert on the basis of RP, that noble women after death a man became the guardians of very young children and managed an economy as of right of seniority, using an income (by property) and responsible for losses only in the case of the repeated married life.

Rusyny in the attitude toward a woman-wife, used an utterance: «a good woman is a crown to husband and to the house, and angry one — is a fierce grief and destruction». Therefore Bereginia in sights it is often represented with kind regards and capture. Not by chance in St. Sofia’s Cathedral there is an image of not Mother of God, but the image of Maria-Oranta, image of promoter of city and earth, «Immutable Wall». This figure reminds us favourite mythological appearance of Eastern Slavs — appearance of the Large Goddess to humanizing and «grounding» of appearance of mother Christ.

The historical material about family in the period of Kyiv Rus, gives the picture of attempts of church to regulate Rusyny’s domestic life, and consequently the conduct of woman. Although to the women and almost identical rights were given with men, and a church (as well as in the countries of Western Europe) tried to demand a woman complete obedience a man. Churchmen grounded on that a woman carries in herself the inferiority and sinfulness. In general the family of that time as for its determination was patriarchal, a decision role belonged to the man in the decision of main questions and problems. But, in spite of the church argued against the active role of woman in social and domestic life, some researchers and authors, however speak out in behalf of that role of woman was not passive, but it was really active.

Rusyny was under influence of Christian church as well and but there were residues of tradition, respect and worship to heathen cult of mother in society and family.

Summarizing stated above it is possible to say with a confidence, that Rusynkys were more much freer than her Western neighbours. The woman of Kyiv Rus Epoch combined the obedience, bashfulness, she was the keeper of home, but rysynky were wise, free, strong women at the same time. Equally with men they could protect the interests and realized themself, both in the feminine and in masculine issues, such as a governance of the powerful state.

In some cases with the absence of husband, a woman occupied his place and carried out not only her duties but also the husband’s one. From other point of view a woman was supported to a man, she lived according to masculine laws (girl’s ignorance while chosing her future husband), but for all that, even in such situations Rusynky occupied their honoured place next to a man, that had been proved with the fate of Rus Princes’ daughters which were married with the representatives of European Royal Aristiocracy.

Reference

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