Numerous Slav settlements were situated on the hills between the Volkhov flood land and that of Ilmen whereas their central pagan sanctuary was established at Peryn. In the course of the IX–th century the settlement region in the North lake Ilmen area gradually acquired greater economical and political importance. On the one hand the rise of this region was caused by its position on the Baltic Volga route but on the other by the fact that the settlements of the region started to function as a political, economical, cultural and cult center of the new arising community. The upper social Slav stratum from surrounding regions, military men, merchants and artisan settled there.

Gorodishche (the hillfort) or as it is often named by historians since the beginning of the XIX–th century Ryurik Gorodishche well known from the Russian chronicles since 1103 as the residence of the Novgorod princes and one of the basic centers of the Novgorod political life already in the IX–th century had predominated over the region. Its role in many respects was predetermined by its topography. Situated on the island where the Volkhov river divided into two branches, opposite the pagan sanctuary at Peryn, Gorodishche represented a naturally defended key point of the surrounding land and the whole Lake Ilmen basin. It was difficult to fmdamore suitable place for the foundation of the trade and craftsman settlement simultaneously controlling the abundant water traffic. It is not accidental that princes with their drushmas (military guard) including a quantity of Scandinavians turned it into their fortress.

In the IX–Xth centuries the overall area of Gorodishche was from 4 to 6–7 ha Its central part of about 1–1,2 ha was strengthened with, a ditch and supposedly with a rampart Material culture of the settlement reveals the broad international trade links, traces of various artisan activities Side by side with this, agriculture, hunting, fishery, various crafts also flourished there General analysis of the material culture makes it possible to mark that it was definitely influenced by the North European culture Fthnically Gorodishche in the IX–Xth centuries was inhabited by Slavs and Scandinavians.

The significance of the Slav settlements, situated in Gorodishche environs particularly grew up in the Xth century They had become a base and in many cases a home For the upper layers of the Slavic society the rich and the powerful with their retinue, attracted by the region's economic importance and the presence of the administration and the military force In the middle of the Xth century at a distance of 2 km from Gorodishche down streams the Volkhov river on the hills which were later occupied by Novgorod already existed some settlements From the very foundation they contained the traces of the high social position of their inhabitants In the Xth century these settlements developed m parallel with Gorodishche But gradually, approximately by the beginning of the XI–th century they formed a new settlement structure and adopted a large part of Gorodishche's economic and administrative functions Among these new settlements in 989 was built the city cathedral — St.-Sophia church and near it the bishops palace.

In the early Xlth century under Yaroslav Vladimirovich, political alliance between the prince and Novgondian nobility resulted in the prince residence transferring directly to Yaroslavovo Dvorishche — the site near the town Market district (torg). The houses of the prince's military men (“ogmshchane”) were near by. This transferring appeared an outward manifestation of great changes both in the political organization of novgorodian society and in its municipal structure. The last step in this process was the foundation of the “New town” (new fortress) in 1044 by Vladimir Yaroslavich on the site of the bishop's yard.

In the last third of the XI–th century when Novgorodian boyars looked reinforced and d new type of the “posadniks” institution emerged - body of boyars power opposed to the prince administration, princes had to remove their residence back to Ryunk Gorodishche.

So originally Gorodishche — a trade and craftsmen and military administrative center in the sources of Volkhov area appears to repeat the Ladoga development, representing the same type of the settlement, but in a later variant. Settlements in the down stream Volkhov area substantially differed from those in the upper stream area. Trade and craftsmanship highly developed in Ladoga furthered it to a great international port and trading place of the Baltic region, nevertheless absence of agricultural lands in neighborhood and its location on the very extremity of the Slav world prevented it to become a center of Sloven's land. All administrative threads of management of North Rus met at Gorodishche and Novgorod. The given analysis permits to trace the role of Gorodishche in the rise of Novgorodian urban community and to make a number of revisions in the generally accepted conception of the Old Russian State formation.

Main publications:

• Е.Н.Носов. Новгородское (Рюриково) городище. Ленинград. 1990.
• E.N.Nosov. Ryrik Gorodishche and the Settlements to the North of Lake Ilmen // The Archaeology of Novgorod, Russia. Recent Results from the Town and its Hinterland (ed.M.Brisbain) // The Society for Medieval Archaeology. Monograph Series: NO 13. P.5-66.Lincoln 1992.
• E.Nosov. Rjurikovo Gorodisce et Novgorod // Les centres proto-urbains russes entre Scandinavie, Byzance et Orient (edite par M.Kazanski, A.Nercessian et C.Zuckerman) / Realites Byzantines 7. 143-172. Paris. 2000.

Project leader:

Evgenij Nosov. Professor. Corresponding member of RAS.

Contact information:

191186. St.Petersburg Dvirtsovaja nab. 18. IHMC RAS (IIMK RAN); Tel. +7 (812) 571-50-92; Fax +7 (812) 571-62-71. admin@archeo.ru