The Significance of Annalistic Ulyches in the Early Medieval History of Ukraine

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to study the habitat of the Ulych tribe on the territory of modern Ukraine, the specifics of their interaction with non-Slavic peoples, and the reasons for their confrontation with the princes of Rus. The research methodology is based on a combination of general scientific (analysis, synthesis, generalization) and special-historical (historical-comparative, historical-typological, historical-systemic) methods with the problem-chronological principle and the principles of scientificity, historicism, objectivity, comprehensiveness and integrity scientificity. The scientific novelty of the work is that, for the first time, historical information about Ulyches in different regions of our country is correlated and analyzed, and their civilizational influence on the population of Ukraine during the Middle Ages is established. Conclusions. The historical information about the habitation of the Ulyches in the Middle Podniprovya, Southern Pobuzhzhia, Podnistrovya, and the Danube region is confirmed by the results of archaeological research. Separate local zones of Ulyches’ settlement were Southern Podniprovya, Southern Kyiv Region, Southern Volyn, and Dnister Canyon. The Ulyches possessed developed for their time agricultural technologies, which were based on agriculture and homestead cattle breeding. The metallurgy, metalworking and jewelry were among the main crafts. The production of millstones from volcanic tuff was a unique technology . The main Ulyches’attractions are numerous hillforts, which were above all things a military camp and a shelter for the population. The ability to build and improve these objects quickly testifies to the presence of developed clan relations, authoritative administration and nobility. The Ulyches and the Tyvertsi were particularly close tribes and had a common area of residence in Podnistrovya. Both tribes together participated in the development of the right bank lands of the Danube mouth in the 10th-11th centuries. Counting the number of known hillforts and analyzing the Ulyches’ settlement area allows us to call them one of the most numerous tribes of Ukraine in the 9th–11th centuries. The long period of wars of the 9th–10th centuries. between the princes of Rus and the Ulyches was caused by the struggle for supremacy in the Dnipro region and possession of the Dnipro river route to the Black Sea.The Ulyches had a special relationship with nomadic peoples, that distinguishes them from other Slavic tribes. The representatives of the southern branch of the Saltiv culture were their neighbour and constant partner in interaction during the VIII–XI centuries.