What currency was used in Ancient Russia. Old Russian monetary terminology and monetary account The monetary unit of the Slavs was called kuna

Terminology The word “Ukraine” The Russian word “ukraina” (Polish ucraina) means “border land” (paese di confine in Italian); the Russian adjective ucrainij means that which lies at the edge, near the edge (presso il bordo: у - presso, edge - bordo). This meaning of the word is very significant, for

Although the tribes of Slavs and Angles, Saxons, Normans, Varangians were formed at approximately the same time, after the Great Migration of Nations (II century AD), for a number of reasons the formation of a strong state in Russia began in the X century, but the origin of coins took place much earlier.

At a certain stage of economic development, the role of money was in the hands of livestock. In the oldest copies of Russkaya Pravda, there are references to fines by cattle. There was even a position - "cattleman", i.e. person collecting taxes.

At other times, the role of money was played by the fur of the marten, which was also mentioned many times in Russian Pravda.

The "kuns", "rezany", "vekshi", "beli" found in "Russkaya Pravda" seem to mean metal money, to which the names of some furs have passed 12. Judging by "Russkaya Pravda", the hryvnia and "kuna" served as the main metallic currency not only in trade, but also in the process of collecting tribute.

Another old Russian coin was zlatnik (spool) - the first gold coin in Russia, equal in weight to the Byzantine solidus (4.2 g). This ancient Russian coin with a Slavic inscription, a portrait of the prince (Vladimir Svyatoslavovich) and the family coat of arms of Rurikovich did not play a special role in trade, but rather served as a symbol of the strength of the state. Minted like silver coin, in the X-XI centuries.

Srebrenik (silversmith) the first silver coin of Ancient Rus. Silver of Arab coins was used for minting. The coin was minted in Kiev - by Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, in Novgorod - by Yaroslav the Wise. A separate group of coins is the coins of the Tmutarakan prince Oleg-Mikhaila, minted around 1070. Even before the formation of the Kiev state, and then during its existence, foreign trade and wars contributed to the receipt of metallic money from the countries of the East, Byzantium, and later from Western countries. According to some reports, the Slavs still had gold money in the IV-V centuries.

In the monetary circulation of Ancient Russia, ingots played a more significant role than in the West, where the circulation of ingots met with opposition from the feudal lords, who had the right to mint coins and considered any ingot as a material for minting. In Russia, the authorities, on the contrary, facilitated the circulation of ingots, which are called hryvnia ... As in other countries, the names of the monetary units at first coincided with the weight ones. The hryvnia was both a monetary and a weight unit. With the growth of social labor, the role of money is largely transferred to precious metals. This became possible when the craft as a form of activity separated from agriculture.

The basis of the monetary system of Ancient Russia was hryvnia, weight unit, ancient Slavic monetary, used to measure gold and silver. Gold, silver, bronze hryvnia used by women as jewelry in the form of a hoop, worn around the neck (on the "nape" - hence the name) later became the main currency of Russia. Here is a vivid example of the enormous influence of women on the life of society and its development.

With a question about weight hryvnia the question of its origin is usually also linked. If you see in her "Russian lb."or half of it, then hryvnia goes back to the ancient Mesopotamian pound, borrowed by Russia and preserved in our country before the introduction of the metric system. But in the hoards, bars of different weights are found. Some researchers have concluded that the weight of the hryvnia varies depending on which country had the greatest trade ties with the area. The change in the influence of the East, Byzantium and the West consistently influenced the weight of the hryvnia (Arab ounce, Byzantine liter, Western mark). The first Russian hryvnia is considered to be the Kiev hexagonal hryvnia, the weight of which ranges from 34 to 39 spools. At first, there was no division of the hryvnia, but then the names appeared in ancient literature

"hryvnia of silver"and "hryvnia kun". The first mention of hryvnia kun found in the Ipatiev Chronicle in 1287. The question of what is hryvnia kun, what was its difference from hryvnia of silver , is one of the controversial issues in the history of money in Russia.

The word "kun" gives reason to reckon hryvnia kun to fur money.

The historian V.O. Klyuchevsky saw a silver ingot in the kun hryvnia, but of a lighter weight.

According to A.I. Cherepnin, under hryvnia kun should be understood as the amount of foreign coins corresponding to the hryvnia of silver.

It seems to us that hryvnia kun was still a coin, since it remained the main currency in the trading capital of Ancient Russia - Lord Veliky Novgorod - until the 15th century. Then they began to mint their own coins here, and until then there were a lot of foreign coins - hansa. It was probably also in Pskov, Smolensk, Polotsk and Vitebsk. The rather rapid drop in the hryvnia exchange rate is explained by its intensive damage in the West, by the way, which forced the Novgorodians to start minting their own coins. The value of the money issued, i.e. the weight of pure silver in them was in proportion to that of Western European coins.

Coin minting in Kievan Rus began earlier than in many European states. There is irrefutable evidence of coinage in the X-XI centuries in Russia - silver coins Vladimir Monomakh (1078-1125), kiev hryvnia (weighing 140-160g), etc. 13 . Coins in Ancient Russia were much larger than in Western Europe at that time. An enlarged coin weighing up to 3 grams above was minted for hundreds years earlier than in Europe. The coin of the Kiev period, especially the gold one, is technically better executed than the Western European medieval coin. Moreover, it should be noted that minting of gold began even earlier than in France (if we do not take into account the early, Merovingian period). However, the coin was minted in limited quantities and the share of hryvnia and foreign coins in circulation was greater. Own mass coin in Russia appeared later. And the Russians called foreign coins in their own way: " nogata "," rezana "," shelyag "," veveritsa " etc.

The period from XII to XIV century went down in the history of Russia as "coinless". Tatar coins appear in the north-east of Russia.

Since the 13th century, after the Russian lands fell under the Mongol yoke, the development of coins went in two ways. From the XIV century in the southwestern lands appeared: Prague penny, denarius, kvartnik, half penny, shelyag and other western coins. At the same time, minting of Russian coins began in northeastern Russia.

Money or denga appeared as a coin at the end of the XIV century in Moscow, then in other Russian principalities. Silver hryvnia (204g) minted 200 of money constituting moscow counting ruble. Besides money minted half money (half), in Novgorod and Pskov - quarter, those. 1/4 money.

The unification of the Russian coin was carried out by Elena Glinskaya, regenza under the minor Ivan IV in 1534. Since then, one nationwide silver coin has been minted, twice as heavy as money - novgorodok, which later received the name penny by the image of a rider with a spear on it; denga moscowor moskovka, or simply money, also called " saber" or " sword"according to the horseman with a saber depicted on it; half (half money), equal to half money and quarters novgorodki.Silver hryvnia was minted 300 novgorodokweighing 0.68g, or 600 of money, weighing 0.34 g. Thus, since 1534 100 novgorodokequaled 1 ruble 14 . History rublealso interesting. It got its name novgorod hryvnia(long silver stick weighing 204 g).

One of the first mentions of the monetary units of Ancient Rus dates back to the times of the Novgorod principality. The main payment units were fur skins - kuns (marten fur), legs (skins with uncut legs), cut - trimmed skins (halves, etc.). Subsequently, these names were transferred to the first coins circulating on the territory of the Slavic states.

For a very long time in modern generally accepted history, it was believed that the first monetary unit of Russia was the so-called leather money. Pieces of tanned thick leather with embossed princely signs, with colored seals on the reverse side served, according to historians of the XVIII-XIX centuries, an analogue of bank notes or paper money. However, modern research shows the inconsistency of this theory.

Kufic coins

The period of Kievan Rus is much more favorable in terms of studying monetary circulation. In addition to various archaeological finds from this period, historians have at their disposal no less numerous written sources testifying to the development of the economy of the Russian state.

The period of the VIII-XI centuries was unique for the financial system of Kievan Rus - the entire economy was built on the circulation of foreign money. Coins of Eastern states, in particular, of the Arab Caliphate, and then of other states that arose on its territory, were widely adopted.

Unlike most coins encountered by the Slavs, Arab dirhams did not have any images on their surface. However, each coin was generously covered with special inscriptions - kufi; hence the name "Kufic" came from. This significantly complicated their identification, and therefore in Russia the value of such a coin was determined by the content of silver in it.

The circulation of silver Kufic coins reached the greatest quantitative value by the 10th century, but by the middle of the 11th century their influx into the territory of the Slavic tribes had practically dried up. The reason for this was not political or economic changes, as one might think, but something more prosaic: the explored deposits of the precious metal dried up in the East, the time of the so-called silver crisis came. In internal settlements, the Arab states switched to copper and gold coins, the cash flow of silver dirhams to the territory of the Slavs stopped.

For the most part, Kufic silver was called kuna by the Eastern Slavs. This word denoted coins of average quality, uncut, but already worn out and did not have "full" weight. Coins of the best quality - exemplary, selected - were called nogaty. The cut silver was called cut, and the pieces of kuna - particles of a full-fledged coin - were called veveritsa (this is how the smallest and least valuable skin was called in the northern lands - squirrel).

Coinless time

From the end of the 11th century until the end of the 13th, and in some lands until the middle of the 14th centuries, the circulation of coins in the territory of the Slavs practically ceased. The volume of Kufic coins dried up, and the European denarii and eastern gold dirhams, which occasionally fell on the Slavic lands, were generally not perceived by the people as a bargaining chip. For this period, the main monetary equivalent was the silver bar - the hryvnia.

Each principality adopted its own form of grivna or dime - from a long silver wire to a faceted hexagon; they also differed in weight. The circulation of the hryvnia largely predetermined the modern Russian and Russian decimal monetary systems. Thus, one hryvnia was often referred to as a ruble, since it was cut into pieces to obtain monetary units of a smaller "face value" - dengi or, as it was later called, a penny.

The first Russian coins

The cutting of the hryvnia into equal shares could not but give rise to the need for the subsequent identification of the received pieces of silver - denga. On each such flattened silver circle, they began to put the imprint of the princely seal, and then various other symbols. This is how the first Russian coins appeared in the XIV century.

It is generally accepted that the minting of their own coins first began in the Moscow principality. Then the Suzdal-Novgorod principality, Ryazan, Tver and others acquired their own money. However, this temporal gradation is rather arbitrary and is based on fragmentary data from the chronicles and treasures found in the territories of the former principalities.

A characteristic feature of the circulation of the first Russian coins was the absence of a momentary court in its classical understanding. And although the prince nominally wielded sole power over his own "currency", the actual minting of coins became another branch of the craft. The silversmithing artisan bought the right to minting from the prince and made coins to everyone in need, that is, to those who ordered it - merchants, boyars or the same prince. It is, of course, impossible to talk about a calculated and balanced financial system with this approach.

L.V. Kosinov

Money in Russia has been known since ancient times. This is evidenced by the finds of numerous hoards of coins from the Carpathians to the Urals and from the Black Sea region to the northern seas. There are several periods of the formation of monetary circulation in Russia.

1st-5th centuries - in circulation silver coins of the Roman Empire - denarius .

From the end of the 4th century - the penetration of coins of the Byzantine Empire.

VI-VII centuries - in circulation silver coins of Byzantium - miliary .

VIII century - The beginning of the penetration of high-quality silver coins of the Arab Caliphates - Kufic dirhams .

IX-X centuries - full-scale monetary circulation with a predominance of Arab dirhams over the Byzantine militias. The beginning of the penetration of Western European (Bavarian, Saxon) silver coins - denarii .

After the baptism of Russia, the first coins were minted in a small amount - gold coins and silver coins of Vladimir. Their limited minting is not an economic, but a political factor - "commemorative coins" in honor of the adoption of Christianity.

XI-XIII centuries - the so-called coinless period. The supply of Arab Dirhams stops. Coins of previous periods remain in circulation.

From the 11th century, hryvnia - silver bars of a certain shape.

Below on the maps of the distribution zone of the found treasures of Roman, Byzantine and Arab coins.

On the map on the left - the places of minting of Arab, Byzantine, European coins of the 9th, 10th centuries - from a hoard found in 1926 in the village of Staryi Dedin, Mogilev region, Belarus.

The large number of coins found in the hoards testifies that in Russia, at the turn of the first millennium, there was a full-scale currency circulation of foreign silver coins with a predominance of Arab dirhams.

And yet there are many blank spots in the history of money in Russia. And they are connected not so much with the above chronology as with the names of coin money.

In the chronicle sources of the 8th - 12th centuries, there is practically no mention of the use of the original names of money in Russia: "dirhams, miliary, denarii", although it was they who determined the circulation of money in Russia at that time.

At the same time, the annals abound with such definitions as: hryvnia , kuna , nogata, cut, bela (whitewash ), veksha, faithful, muzzle (mortar ).

What kind of money is that? Indeed, apart from the above-mentioned foreign coins, there were no others in Russia. There are many versions of the origin of these names of money. They are based on the names of animals with valuable fur (marten, squirrel) and allegedly existed in ancient times, the so-called "fur money". And the names of these animals were allegedly later transferred to real money. Kuna - from the marten. Bela, veksha, veveritsa - from squirrels. Nogata - from the skin of a marten or squirrel with legs. Muzzle - from the skin of a marten with a muzzle.

There is little logic and common sense in such interpretations. Although furs in Russia were valued at all times and their exchange value cannot be denied. Barter has always existed. Let us recall at least the recent past, when vodka was exchanged for pots. But this does not mean that there was "vodka money".

Let's try to understand this issue using the well-known factual material - images of coins from numerous treasures found in Russia.

Silver Roman denarius.

What did the Romans represent on their coins? On the obverse - the corresponding emperor (earthly god). On the reverse - the celestial gods who were worshiped: Apollo, Juno, Isis, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Vulcan, Neptune, ...

Silver Byzantine militia.

What did the Byzantines represent on their coins? The same as their Roman predecessors. On one side is the emperor, on the other is Christ or the Mother of God and the Child.

Western European silver denarii.

After the adoption of Christianity by Europe, religion was necessary to strengthen power. Christian symbols began to be minted on coins. The picture shows the coin of Charles the Great, as we can see the same theme: the image of the emperor and Christian attributes.

Let us take a closer look at one of the coins found in the hoard of the Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomakh (1000-1055). Obverse - the image of the Virgin. Reverse - Emperor, cross in one hand, sword in the other.

But this is not remarkable - you can see a hole punched near the feet of the Mother of God. It is likely that the coin was used as a wearable icon. When the icon was hanging on the chest, it was turned upside down, but when the person wearing it brought it to his face for prayer or kissing, the image of the Mother of God took its proper position. Similar coins-icons were found in the Crimea and in the northern Black Sea region at Christian settlements. All of them were made from Byzantine coins of the X-XI centuries. After baptism, in Russia, such a coin was often used as a ready-made wearable icon.

How could our ancestors call such coins - kuna, nogata, ...?

Let's check the kunu. This is how dictionaries interpret this term:

Kuna: Monetary unit of Ancient Russia, which was in circulation until the end of the 14th century. The term originated from the name of the marten fur, which was in circulation as an exchange value in the 10th - 11th centuries. ( TSB). An ancient banknote, when linen, marten, sable fur replaced money ( Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary). The collective name of money before Mongolian Rus, among which there were furs of valuable breeds of animals - a unit of Old Russian kunnoy monetary system. Formed from the word "marten" or from lat. cuneus "forged made of metal"(Economic Dictionary). Mmetal (silver) monetary unit of Ancient Rus. The name comes from the skin of the marten, which played an important role in their trade with the Arab East before the start of coin circulation among the Eastern Slavs.(Numismatic Dictionary).

As you can see, all dictionary sources trace the origin of the name of the kun coin to the fur of a marten. In order not to wander in meaningless searches, we will apply the RA method. In the dictionary of Baranov H.K. find the word قُونَةٌ ( kuna) - "icon, image". Further comments are said to be superfluous.

· Kuna - the old Russian name for foreign silver coins circulating in Russia in antiquity, with images of images of the deities of that region and the time when they were minted (for example, Byzantine miliary and Western European denarii).

The name is derived from ar. قُونَةٌ ( to una ) – "icon , form ".

To the marten, in addition to consonance, the kun's coin had only that which could probably be bought for it - the fur of this innocently killed animal. The valuable fur of the marten could indeed be used in barter transactions as a certain commodity equivalent of the silver kuna coin.

Let's deal now with Arab silver coins - dirhams .

The Kufic dirham was significantly different from previous coins.

Dirham was made from high-grade silver , small thickness , at the mints of the Arab Caliphate from Central Asia to Spain. According to the canons of the Muslim religion, coins should not have images. Inscriptions (legends) on the obverse and reverse of the coins contain sayings from the Koran, the place and year of issue (in Hijri). These coins were called Kufic coins, after the style of Arabic writing on the coin.

Silver Arabic Kufic Dirhams.

The kufic dirham was the most popular and widespread type of Muslim silver coin in Russia from the 8th to the 11th century. Huge treasures of these coins have been found in all regions of Eastern Europe, sometimes in five or seven thousand copies.

How could an Arab dirhem be called in Russia - nogata, white ...?

Let's not guess, we will do the same as in the previous case - we will check the foot. But first, let's turn to dictionaries:

Nogata: Ancient Coin ( Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary). Small monetary unit in Russia IX-XIII centuries. ( Efremova's explanatory dictionary). One of the ancient Russian names of the Arab coin is a silver dirham of the 10-12 centuries (E economic encyclopedia). One of the units of the monetary system of Ancient Rus. It appeared in the 10th century. in connection with the need to distinguish the more benign Arab dirhams from the worse ones that circulated next to them. Formed from Arabic nakd - "full-fledged, selected coin", ( TSB). The monetary unit, together with the kuna and the cut, constituted the Kunno-monetary system of Ancient Rus. Nogata is a real high standard silver coin - Kufi dirham. The name is derived from the Arab. n acada "sorting money, selecting good copies", ar. nagu "a full-fledged choice coin as opposed to a coin of lesser value." (Numismatic Dictionary, Lviv, 1980).

With the exception of minor inaccuracies, this is the correct interpretation of the origin of the name of the coin - nogata. Small addition. Arabic نَقْدٌ ( nagu ) is also used in this sense - "cash (money), hard currency". Goes back to ar. - نَقَدَ ( n hagada ) "take away, give cash (money), pay in cash (money)". Wed also derived from this root are. نَقَاوَةٌ ( naga : in a ) - "all the best, selected", ar. نَقِىٌّ ( naked ) - "pure, no impurity".

Such definitions are the best fit for the Arab dirham made of selected high standard silver ... For a long time in Russia there is an expression "to pay with hard currency". It was used to emphasize the quality of payment - in cash.

· Nogata - the Old Russian name of the Arab silver coin, the Kufic dirham, the main currency in Russia in the VIII-XI centuries. Nogat dirhams were minted in the Arab Caliphate from selected high-grade silver. The name is derived from ar. نَقَدَ ( n hagada ) "take away , give cash (money) , pay in cash (money) ", ar. نَقْدٌ ( nagu ) – "cash (money ), specie ".

Next in line cut ... Many "cut" coins are found in ancient hoards. For example, at the Nerevsky excavation site (Novgorod), two large treasures were found. The first contained 60 whole dirhams and 811 their fragments. Second131 whole dirham and 604 wreckage. The youngest coin is dated 972.

There are no other "cut" coins, except for dirhams, in the ancient hoards. It is believed that the dirham was not suitable for buying any small change due to its high cost, so they cut the coin into 2, 4, 8 and even more pieces. And such cut off parts of the dirham were called rezana. Here they are in the picture.

Let's see what the dictionaries say about the rezan.

Rezan:ABOUT the bottom of the units of the Kunna monetary system of ancient Russia. Formed from the verb "cut". Initially, this was the name of the stumps and trims of Arab silver dirhams that were widely used in ancient Russia. In the 12th century, it was equated with kuna and borrowed its name ( TSBA unit of ancient value. Actually, it was a kuna, renamed Rezanu first in "Russian Pravda", and then in the Tver acts. The name of the rezana comes from the word " cut \u003d count " (Uh brockhaus and Efron Ncyclopedic Dictionary). ABOUTthe bottom of the monetary units of Kievan Rus. When the name "kuna" was given to the dirhem, which was the equivalent of the skin of a marten, the equivalent of a part (trimming) of the kuna was called "cut". Fragments of dirhams (1/2, 1/4, etc.) are often found in Old Russian hoards. Fragmentation dirhams testifies that the whole coin was too large for small trade transactions. Kuna and Rezana existed in parallel, but gradually the kuna count became more common. (Numismatic Dictionary, Lviv, 1980 ). FROMtarin Russian currency, at first presumably \u003d 1/2 of the cut dirham, later the currency of 1/2 kuna or 1/50 of the monetary hryvnia. Formed from the verb "cut". Out of use by the 15th century (Numismatist Dictionary, 1993 ).

There are many versions, as you can see, mixed in a bunch of dirham-nogata and kuna and rezana and the skin of the unfortunate animal. At the same time, the origin of the name from Rus."to cut "it seems logical, but the question arises, why did they not cut, for the same purposes, denarii, miliary, but only dirhams?

Above, we established that the old Russian name for dirhem is nogata. In ar. it is in tune with قَطَعَ ( gataa ) - "cut off, break off" or قَدَّ ( gadda ) - "cut", cf. also ar. نُحَاتَﺔ ( nuha : t a ) - "cuttings, fragments".

Therefore, the dirhem-nogatu was cut, but more broken, since the coin was thin. And she was made thin because her name is consonant (in reverse reading) ar. دَقَّ ( d agga ) - "to be thin". As we see in the name of the coin - nogata, it is written how it should be (thin) and how to deal with it later (cut off, break off).

So from the dirhem-nogaty they got the cut. But the name of the coin cut was not formed from the word cut - they cut and broke not the cut, but the leg. Name cut formed from ar. رَزَنَ ( r azana ) – "estimate the weight on the arm ". When there was a lot of a small purchase of a whole leg, they cut off or simply broke off a piece of it, estimated its weight-value approximately (" estimated on the hand ") and calculated for the goods, by mutual agreement, of the negotiating parties. Although it was no longer a coin, but a piece of it, but it had value, since it was made of silver of the highest standard.

· Rezan - a part of the coin of the Arab Kufic silver dirhem, called in Russia - nogat, obtained by cutting or breaking off a piece of a certain size from a coin, followed by an approximate estimate of its weight-value. The word is formed from ar. رَزَنَ ( r azana ) – "estimate the weight on the arm ".

Bate: Old Russian. monetary unit, identically protein(vasmer's dictionary). ... Vir was paid according to whiter Veverica or by whiter vekshe ( Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary).

Let's figure out what kind of protein is.

If kunas and nogata can be clearly identified and compared to specific coins, and cut, as it turned out, is a derivative of nogata, then what is bela? Which of the coins of that time corresponds to white?

Above, we established that the basis of monetary circulation in Russia at the turn of the 10th century was (in descending order of quantity): Arab dirhem-nogata (with its derivative cut), Byzantine miliary-kuna, Western European denarius-kuna. There were no other silver coins in Russia that had any serious impact on money circulation. At the same time, there are massive mentions of whitewash in the annals, and judging by the meaning, we are talking about the coin.

Here's the thing.

There was no renewable coin production in Russia at that time. In the course of prolonged circulation, foreign coins were erased, gradually lost images and legends (inscriptions on the coin), decreased in weight and turned into smooth silver circles. Every year, the mass of coins in circulation increased, having lost their presentation and value.

Here, for example, is a selection of such worn-out coins - Arab dirhams.

Such silver coins, having lost their nominal (monetary) value, nevertheless remained valuable as silver, especially the high-grade dirhem-nogata. And so they continued to be used for calculations. Such silver circles (worn coins) were called - bela (belya). The name is derived from ar. بَلِىَ ( b spruce) "wear out, deteriorate". Coin-belya has the same relation to squirrels as coin-kun to marten, i.e. no!

· Bela (whitewash ) - the Old Russian name for worn-out foreign silver coins circulating in ancient Russia (for example, Arab dirhams, Byzantine miliarysia, Western European denarii).

The name is derived from ar. بَلِىَ ( b spruce ) "wear , decay ".

The expression in Dahl's dictionary: "the virus was paid for the whiter veveritsa or the whiter vechery", it should be read: "the virus was paid with worn-out veveritsy or worn-out veksha".

We sorted out one squirrel, next in line is its relative - veksha .

What do the dictionaries say about veksha? Yes, the same as in the previous cases - again about every beast.

Veksha: Old Russian name for squirrel. The smallest monetary unit of ancient Russia in the 9-13th centuries (veksha , squirrel, veveritsa). It was first mentioned in "The Tale of Bygone Years", the name is found in "Russian Truth" ( TSB). Forest animal, white, squirrel. Vekoshie - squirrel furs or skins ( Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary). The smallest monetary unit of Ancient Rus. Squirrel ( Efremova's explanatory dictionary).Small old Russian monetary unit in the form of a squirrel skin(Economic encyclopedia).

Which coin, of those circulating in Russia, could be called an eternal? We have already exhausted the entire limit of foreign silver coins. Or maybe this is not a foreign, but Russian coin? After all, it has been established thatthe first Russian coins were minted in Kievan Rus -Vladimir Svyatoslavovich (978 - 1015), Svyatopolk (1015) and Yaroslav the Wise (1015). They were called - withribs, but this name is not their original, but later. Maybe this is veksha? However, it was found thatthey were produced in small quantities and for a short time, therefore they did not have much influence on the monetary circulation of Kievan Rus ... And the chronicles abound with the term veksha, which means that there were many such coins, and they were used everywhere. Although there is practically no information about what the veksha coin was. Maybe this is not a coin at all, but really, as the dictionaries say, - a small old Russian currency in the form of a squirrel skin.

In general, there is not enough context for research! Let's fill it up.

In the monetary lexicon there is such a term - "spoilage of coins". He stands forreducing the weight and (or) the sample of coins while maintaining their previous face value in order to obtain income from this. The method has been widely used since ancient times in different countries. A copper ligature was added to silver, which deprived money of its usefulness ( Modern Economic Dictionary).

Researcher of ancient monetary systemsYanin V.L. (Monetary and weight systems of pre-Mongol Rus ) believes that the damage of Roman denarii, which began under Nero, by adding a ligature of copper to silver, is one of the main reasons for the decrease in its import into Eastern Europe in the II-III centuries. The same thing happened with the Byzantine militias in the 11th century. Its corruption began after the defeat of the Byzantines in the war in 1071. Silver sample dropped to 700 and below, due to the addition of a copper ligature.Damage to the coins of Western European denarii, with the addition of up to 50% copper, at the beginning of the XII century led to the fact that they ceased to be suitable for export outside the country that minted it.

The penetration of such devalued coins into Russia could not be unnoticed. And this is confirmed by the chronicle sources. The abovementioned Yanin V.L. in their researchratios of currency units in Kr a weave andPresent editions of Russian Pravda comes to the conclusion that at the turn of the 12th century, the ratio of the kuna to the hryvnia changed. Apart from the kuna, other currencies did not undergo a a some changes, as well as the hryvnia itself.

During this period, in the chronicle sources, the emergence of a "new" monetary unit was recorded. In the mouth a clear the letter of Svyatoslav Olgovich to the Novgorod Sophia Cathedral (1137): "... for a tithe from vir and sale of 100 hryvnias new coons ". In the contractual gr a mote Novgorod with the Gothic coast (1189): "... and if you tie your husband without guilt, then 12 hryvnia for forty old coon ". Old coons are contrasted with new ones throughout the 12th century - in a ratio of 1: 2.

Thus, at the turn of the 12th century, a variety of coins appeared in Russia kuna , which is from its predecessor kuna ( cm ... higher) had a reduced silver content. Such coins are called - depreciated ... Maybe this devalued "new kuna" is - veksha? Let's check it out.

In the dictionary of Baranov H.K. find ar. وَكَسَ ( in akasa ) – "devalue , suffer losses ". In Cyrillic, the letter C stands in the position of ar. B letters ук tire, and ar. س syn in outline corresponds to handwritten Russian. w (with s \u003d w \u003d wakasha ).

Comments, as they say, are unnecessary.

· Veksha - the old Russian name of a foreign silver coin with a modified weight or content of the precious metal in comparison with the established standard by adding a copper ligature to silver (for example, Byzantine miliary, Western European denarius). The name is derived from ar. وَكَسَ ( in akasa ) – "devalue ".

We sorted out the second squirrel, its third relative is next - faithful .

Here are dictionary entries with that word.

Veveritsa: The smallest, indivisible monetary unit in ancient Russia, equal to 1/2 or 1/3 cut ( B big encyclopedic dictionary ). The smallest, indivisible monetary unit in ancient Russia (veksha, squirrel, squirrel skin). First mentioned in the chronicle of the 9th century, found in "Russian Truth" ( FROM soviet Historical Encyclopedia ). An ear animal that was paid tribute, probably a weasel, ermine or squirrel. Vir was paid for whiter veveritsa or whitewash. But this does not prove that the Veverian and Veksha were one and the same, but only that they were at the same price ( Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary).

Again there are many versions, and the answer to the question - what is a faithful? - no.

We examined all the silver coins in circulation at that time in Russia. And they even switched to a copper-silver vellum. Maybe a faithful, it's some kind of copper coin. After all, they find in the hoards, albeit in small quantities, Byzantine copper coins - follis (nummias).

It is believed that foreign copper coins did not have any significant impact on the monetary circulation of Russia in the 8-12 centuries. They say that they came to Russia by accident, so they are found in small quantities in the treasures. One cannot agree with this, since copper coins are found in hoards in Russia everywhere since the times of the Roman and later Byzantine empires.

Copper, unlike silver, does not belong to noble metals. Copper coins in themselves were not of great value, but served as a bargaining chip - "change". In times of crisis, the most valuable things - gold, silver - were usually hidden in hoards. And there was no point in hiding copper coins. And I had to live on something. So they left them to live in times of trouble, and did not hide them in treasures, so they are few and found there.

The famous archaeologist Dmitry Ivanovich Prozorovsky (1820-1894), in his works on Russian metrology and numismatics, says that in the Pandects of Nikon Chernogorets (according to the lists of 1291, 1381) Byzantine copper coins follis and nummias are translated by the words: veverians , coppersmiths and veksha.

What were the Byzantine follis and nummias?Copper coinfallis introduced by the emperor Anastasiy in 498, had on the reverse side a legend in the form of letters: A, B, Δ, E, H, I, K and M. The letter designated its denomination in numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 , 20 and 40). A 40-numbered coin is considered a full-fledged folis, while coins of lower denominations are like our kopecks of various denominations in relation to the ruble.

The names were formed: follis from ar. فَلْسٌ (f spruce ) "small coin , money ", nummy from ar. نُمِّىٌّ ( nummy ) "copper coins ".

Follies-nummies It is a small copper Byzantine currency used in circulation as a bargaining chip. Let's check how the faithful relates to these concepts. In terms of structure, it looks like the word is compound, let's divide it like this: veveritza... Using the dictionary, we will find the corresponding Arabic roots. The Old Russian word denoting the name of the veveritsa coin is derived from the addition of the Arabic root(بـوأ ) بَاءَ ba :and "return" and root (روج) رَاجَ ra: tsa "to be in circulation (about money)". Considering that in oriental languages B and B variants of one phoneme ( Vashkevich N.N., dictionary of RA) we get - faith.

Thus, Byzantine copper coins and their Old Russian name functionally reflect the same meaning. This is money that provides small trading operations - small change, which is given change, bargaining chips.

Wed ar . صرف from arafa " spend, spend, pay, change (money). " the opposite reading (with fa \u003d v and sad \u003d c) Varatsa is consonant with a faithful. Wed also derived from this rootصَرْفٌ sarf "exchange" and صَرَّفَ sarrafa " change (money), put into circulation. "

· Veveritsa - the old Russian name for small (copper) coins, for example, Byzantine folis (numias). The name is formed by adding are. بَاءَ ( ba :and ) "return "with ar. رَاجَ ( ra: tsa ) "be in circulation (about money)".

So, we figured it out with leucorrhoea, veksha and veveritsy, and they are not squirrels at all, but real money used in ancient Russia. And the names of this money are not formed from squirrel-squirrel family, but from terms used in the monetary lexicon.

We have remained not fully considered - the marten, or rather its "muzzle".

Let's turn to dictionaries.

Muzzle (mortar ): D jealous Russian coin, kuna, kunya muzzle ( Dahl's Dictionary). Old Russian coin, originally "muzzle (martens)" ( Vasmer's Dictionary). An ancient unit of Russian kunn values \u200b\u200b( FROM brockhaus and Efron lover ).

Please note that the name of this currency is expressed in two terms, muzzle and mortka. If the pestilence Dku can somehow be correlated with the muzzle of a marten, then how to deal with the pestilence Tcoy.

The words muzzle and mortka refer to monetary terms, not animal ones. Both of these words are compound - muzzle and muzzle. The first part of the mor is formed from the reverse reading of ar. روم ( r ohm) "Byzantine", and the second parts from the reverse reading of ar. قطع ( kt ) (kd ) "coin" (ط reads t And How d).

· Muzzle ( mortar ) - an old Russian word that was called the money of the Byzantine Empire. Formed from addition ar . روم ( r ohm ) "byzantine "and ar. قطع ( kt ) (kd ) "coin ", literally - byzantine coin .

We have remained unexplored the most important monetary unit of ancient Russia - hryvnia ... Let's look at dictionaries again.

Hryvnia: FROM silver cast, monetary and weight unit of ancient Russia ( TSB).

A silver coin, probably also worn around the neck ( dahl's Explanatory Dictionary). The monetary and weight unit in ancient Russia is a silver bar weighing about half a pound, in ancient times, silver or gold neck jewelry (ozhegov's explanatory dictionary). The currency and unit of weight, representing a silver bar, originally 1/2 pound ( efremova's explanatory dictionary). D monetary and weight unit in Ancient Russia is a silver ingot weighing about half a pound ( ozhegov dictionary).

All the above definitions more or less correspond to the facts of reality, but they do not have an answer about the origin of the name - hryvnia. The answer to this question is found in the works of N.N. Vashkevich.

· Old Russian name of the monetary unit - hryvnia formed from the reverse reading of ar.ورق in irg " silver minted coins " (Vashkevich N.N, dictionary of RA).

This definition corresponds to the very essence of this monetary unit.What, if not silver money, was the hryvnia in Kievan Rus. Wed the highest meaning of this ar. to ornya وَرَقٌ warag "silver, silver coins, money". This old Russian money is the so-called coin hryvnia .

The statement that, they say, the name of the hryvnia comes from jewelry made of gold or silver, which was worn on the neck (nape), does not stand up to criticism. Here are the neck decorations "grivna", cf. with cash hryvnia.

Hryvnia (neck): A metal hoop (made of bronze, iron, silver, gold) worn around the neck. Appeared in the Bronze Age. It was worn by noble men and women. The Gauls have female adornment, a sign of the dignity of male leaders. The Romans have a reward for military distinction. She was part of the outfit of noble men and women among the Scythians and Sarmatians. In the Middle Ages, it retained the same meaning among the Slavs, Scandinavians and many Volga, Kama, Oka, Baltic tribes. In the 12-14 centuries. was a female decoration in Russia. In Muscovite Russia in the 16th century, she was included in the wedding dress of grooms and brides ( TSB).

· Name neck hryvnia formed not from the word mane, but from ar. غَارِبٌ ha: riba "neck, back of the head "(for B \u003d B). Therefore, they wore jewelry hryvnia on the neck and gold crest on the back of the head, such as these Scythian torcs and crests.

And the word Mane: Long, distinctive neck hair in some animals. Horse mane. Lion's mane. Human long hair (colloquially contemptuous) ( dictionaries Dahl, Ushakov) is formed from ar.قروان girva : n , pl. number fromقرا gara : (kara : ) "back " orقروة garva "edge of head " (Vashkevich N.N. dictionary of RA). Below in the photo are handsome maned men.

Something we have moved away from the main topic - money, back to the hryvnia.

In the annals, in addition to the term hryvnia, the following concepts are used: silver hryvnia , hryvnia kun ... There are many versions of the origin of these names, as in previous cases.

It would seem that if the word hryvnia itself means silver, then why add another silver. It turns out bilingual - "silver-silver". Maybe they wanted to emphasize the quality of the silver in the hryvnia. It may have been cast from high-standard silver - kufic dirhem-nogat (their silver has not yet been mined). However, the study of the composition of the silver hryvnia found in the hoards indicates a difference in the samples.

The point is completely different - after all, the hryvnia was obtained by means of olives from silver.

· The term " hryvnia of silver "formed from the addition of other - Russian words hryvnia (cm.) denoting " silver "and ar. words سرب sarab "pour , pour "literally ingot of silver ... This is a monetary unit of ancient Russia, an ingot of silver weighing 1 rus. lb.

What is the origin of the term " hryvnia kun ". Official sources raise this concept to the skin of a marten, identify the words" kun "and" kuna. "In this case, the hryvnia kun is considered a monetary unit ancient Russia. And it is considered correct because:

· The term " hryvnia kun "formed from the addition of other - Russian. word hryvnia denoting " silver "and derivative from the root ar. نوك kun - كَوَّنَ kawwana "form, make up ".

That is, the monetary unit of the hryvnia kun, in contrast tomonetary silver hryvnia (silver bullion of indefinite shape) formed, made up of a certain number of minted silver coins. Terms " coon "and" kuna "should not be confused, since they have different etymologies. The hryvnia kun could be composed, for example, from coon (Byzantine miliary, Western European denarii) and from foot (Arab Kufic dirhams) and from Russian coin hryvnia .

Through the consonance of ar. to avvan and Russian. forge the cast hryvnia was sometimes flattened (forged) at the edges. These are the so-called Chernigov type hryvnias.

And, finally, about the silver coins of the Kiev prince Vladimir.

Srebrenik (or Serebryanik) - the first silver coin minted in Kievan Rus at the end of the X century, then at the beginning of the XI century. At present, about 340 ancient Russian silver coins are known, conditionally called silver coins . This name is borrowed from the Ipatiev Chronicle of the early 15th century.

Srebrenik of the Kiev prince Vladimir. 980-1015 biennium.

Name - silver coins given by the chroniclers not so much because these coins were made of silver, but because theyminted not on specially cut circles, as was done with foreign silver coins, but were cast on double-sided casting molds. The word is formed from ar. سرب from arab "pour , pour "literally cast ... But the chroniclers who gave this name hardly knew about it.

It is believed that Vladimir's silver coins did not play a big role in Russian money circulation. This is due, firstly, to the short duration of minting and the insignificance of emissions. Secondly, with their low fineness: about three-quarters of all approved coins have a fineness below 500, that is, they are practically not silver. However, in the hoards of eastern and western European coins were found and high-quality samples.

Silver coins were minted of different quality. therefore base silverware these are the same vekshi – with a modified content of precious metal due to the addition of a copper ligature to silver. Perhaps they were called in ancient times, along with miliary vekshami and denarius.

Russia did not always have coins of its own, and this is well known. Calculations were made both by services and goods. For a long time, furs were the equivalent. The imperial denarius (Rome), and the eastern dirham, and even the Byzantine solidus were also present. But the era of their own money has steadily arrived. So....

Silvermen

The first of the coins minted in Russia was named a silversmith. She appeared in the days of the book. Vladimir, before Epiphany. The lack of a bargaining chip began to be felt especially acutely, there were not enough dirhams. The material was silver from the remelting of the latter.

Silver pieces were minted in two types of designs. At first it was a copy of the Byzantine solidi idea: on the one hand, the throne prince. Vladimir, with the reverse - Jesus. The design later changed. The face of the Messiah disappeared. His place was taken by the trident, the family coat of arms of Rurik. The portrait of the prince was surrounded by the inscription: "Prince Volodymyr is on the throne, and this is his money."

Spools

Goldsmiths were present in the course, as were the silversmiths. Their minting was also developed by the book. Vladimir. Only coins were poured, as the name suggests, in gold. The Byzantine solidus served as the prototype for the goldsmith. The mass was quite impressive - 4 g.

It was a rather rare and expensive coin in a very limited edition. However, popular rumor keeps its name in folklore to this day. Modern numismatists can present to the public no more than a dozen gold coins. That is why their price is very high, both on the official and on the black market.

Hryvnia

It was the hryvnia that became a truly independent official monetary unit of Russia. It originated in the 9-10th century. It was a weighty gold or silver ingot. But it was, rather, a standard of mass than a monetary unit. With the help of the hryvnia, the weights of precious metals were measured.

Kiev hryvnia had 160 g of mass and a hexagonal honeycomb shape. The money of Novgorod was a long bar weighing 200 g. However, the name did not change due to the difference in appearance. The Tatars also used the hryvnia that went to the Volga region. It was called that, "Tatar", had the shape of a boat.

The name of the money comes from a completely unrelated object - a female neckband, which was performed by jewelers in gold. The decoration was worn on the "mane". Hence - "hryvnia".

Vekshi

A perfect analogue of the current penny, the Old Russian veksha! Its other names are squirrel, veveritsa. There is an interesting explanation for the first version. It says that while the small silver coin was in circulation, its "natural" counterpart was a tanned squirrel skin.

Chronicles mention that the ancient tribute from some tribes was "one squirrel or coin from one house." By the way, one hryvnia was equivalent to 150 veksha.

Coons

The reversal of the eastern dichrem is a historical fact. Denarius was no less popular. The Russians called both of them "kuns". Why?

There are two explanations. First, the equivalent of both coins was dressed and branded maroon skins. By the way, they were very valuable, even at that time. Second: the English word "coin" (sounds: "coin"), translated - "coin".

Rezany

Rezans were called "monetary units" designed to calculate as accurately as possible. For example, marten skins were divided into patches in order to adjust them to a certain price of the product. It was these flaps that were called "rezanami" (emphasis on the second "a").

Dirhams and denarii were equivalent, so they were also divided. Today archaeologists often find halves and quarters of these coins in ancient hoards. Arab money had a fairly large denomination to operate with it as a whole in small transactions.

Legs

Nogata, small change, 1/20 hryvnia. Its name, according to philologists and historians, came from the Estonian "nahat" ("fur"). It is possible that the legs were originally “tied” to furs.

With all the variety of coins in Russia, the fact that any trade item was "tied" to its own money is quite remarkable. Evidence of this has in its text "The Lay of Igor's Campaign." It says that if Vsevolod were on the throne, the slave would be valued in the leg, and the slave would be sold for a cut.