Gnezdovo and Smolensk at the end of 9-10 centuries: on the way to the Smolensky principle

The article is devoted to the relationship of Europe's largest object of the material culture of the late 9 -early 11 centuries - Gnezdovo archaeological complex and the chronicle Smolensk. The relevance of the study is caused by the exigencies of controversy between the supporters of the theory "Gnezdovo is the chronicle Smolensk" and their opponents, claiming that Smolensk and Gnezdovo represent two simultaneously developing centres, executing different sociohistorical roles in the region of the Upper Dnieper and Dvina. The author has analyzed the available written sources on the problem, comparing them with the achievements of Soviet and Russian archaeology. Conceptual positions expressed earlier in research work subjected in the paper to critical reflection. In the end, it allowed the author to conclude about the futility of a static consideration of the role of Gnezdovo in the development of public relations on the land occupied by the ethno-territorial formations of the krivichy. The author considers it possible to argue that the Gnezdovo complex has undergone a gradual transforming from trade settlements, similar initially with the Scandinavian Vik, in the pogost, carrying out the functions of the administrative and tax center of the Kyiv Prince by guards, living in it. These changes will not fit into the fabric of the existing narrative evidence about Smolensk and leads to the idea of the coexistence of two centers - the earlyurban administrative-territorial center (Gnezdovo), subordinate to Kiev, and the pre-state center of the krivichy (Smolensk). The growing confrontation between these centers resulted in the 11 century to absorb krivichsky center of the Pro-Kyiv center and the creation on their base of Smolensk governorship.