Elena V. Kamenetskaya^{a, #}, Vladimir Ya. Petrukhin^{a, ##}

^a Institute of Slavic Studies RAS, Moscow, Russia

^#E-mail: el-kamenetskaya@yandex.ru
^##E-mail: vladimir.petrukhin@gmail.com

Keywords: Smolensk, Gnezdovo, the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks”, urbanization in Rus, methods of archaeological research.

The article focuses on the contribution of Tamara Anatolyevna Pushkina to the study of the history and archaeology of Smolensk and Gnezdovo, to the development of methods of archaeological research (including those based on emerging technologies) for studying burial mounds and settlements; moreover, the authors consider her participation in the discussion about the formation of the Rus town and about the independent existence of the two largest sites of Slavic-Russian archaeology. Research activities of T.A. Pushkina were developing on the background of ongoing controversy about the role of the Varangians and other ethnic groups in the history of Rus, including the significance of the trade route “from the Varangians to the Greeks,” as well as the stages of Rus urbanization and the functions of early urban and “tribal” centres. T.A. Pushkina’s approach seems relevant in connection with the ongoing active excavations of Smolensk and Gnezdovo and intensifying disputes about their relationship and functions.

DOI: 10.31857/S086960632201007X