About the demographic situation in the Tambov region in the Middle Ages

Importance. The main source of information about demographic processes that took place in the Middle Ages on the territory of modern Tambov region and adjacent territories is archaeological research. Almost to the present time, the Upper Don region and the Oka-Don plain remained a white spot on the medieval archaeological map. Only in recent decades has the source base been significantly expanded. Monuments of the first half of the first millennium of the new era belonging to the circle of Early Slavic antiquities were identified; studies of the monuments of the Don Slavs, the Old Russian time, the nomadic circle were carried out. The purpose of the study was to identify the directions of settlement of the Oka-Don plain in the Middle Ages, its dynamics, ethnic composition, contacts of the new population with the autochthonous.

Materials and methods. The principle of historicism, the comparative typological method and the principle of objectivity. Both general and special methods of historical cognition were used. The dating of archaeological materials and their belonging to a certain ethnic group was determined by studying ceramics and a few individual finds.

Results and Discussion. The territory of modern Tambov region, as part of the Oka-Don plain, has always been attractive due to its natural and climatic features not only for nomadic peoples, but also for settled tribes. Due to various factors, such as the Great Migration of peoples, periodic invasions of nomads, the disintegration of individual archaeological cultures, the demographic situation in the Middle Ages was extremely unstable. Residents of many settlements were forced to change their place of residence, or try to coexist with nomads.

Conclusion. Conclusions are drawn about the diversity of ethnic groups in the Tambov region due to the presence of cultural finds, remnants of dwellings, burials in places of existence of various cultures. The novelty of the conducted research lies in the chronological systematization of the stages of life and activity of the peoples who lived in the first millennium on the territory of the modern Tambov region. Their ancestral and cultural ties, lifestyle and territorial movements for various reasons have become objects of study using archaeological methods, which has allowed us to expand our knowledge of the ancient history of the region. Further attention to the famous monuments and the discovery of new ones on the territory of the Oka-Don plain will allow us to study in more detail the demographic situation in the Middle Ages in this territory.

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