Boris stone near Cathedral of St. Sophia. Polatsk, Belarus

Boris Stones (Belarusian: Барысавы камяні; Russian: Борисовы камни), also called Dvina Stones (Russian: двинские камни), are nine medieval artifacts erected along the bank of the Western Dvina between Polotsk and Drissa in the 12th century. The largest of the stones has 17 metres in circumference. Polatsk (Belarusian: По́лацак, По́лацк, also spelt as Polacak; Polish: PoÅ‚ock; Russian: По́лоцк, also transliterated as Polotsk, Polotzk, Polock) is the most historic city in Belarus, situated on the Dvina river. ... I archaeology, an artifact or artefact is any object made or modified by a human culture, and often one later recovered by some archaeological endeavor. ... The Daugava or Western Dvina (Russian: За́падная Двина́, Belarusan: Дзьвіна́, Latvian: Daugava, German: Düna, Polish Dźwina) is a river rising in the Valdai Hills flowing through Russia... Polatsk (Belarusian: По́лацак, По́лацк; Polish: Połock, also spelt as Polacak; Russian: По́лоцк, also transliterated as Polotsk, Polotzk, Polock) is the most historic city in Belarus, situated on the Dvina... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ...

Although these landmarks were described in the 16th century by Maciej Stryjkowski, it was Georg von Cancrin who first brought them to scholarly attention in 1818. Cancrin discovered that a boulder near Orsha has the following inscription: "In the year 1171, on the 7th day of March, was completed this cross. Lord, please help your servant Basil, whose other name is Rogvolod, Boris's son". (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... Maciej Stryjkowski (also referred to as Strykowski and Strycovius; ca. ... Orsha (Belarusian: Во́рша; Russian: О́рша; Polish: Orsza) is a city in Belarus, an important railway node along the Minsk–Moscow line. ...

Subsequently, several other boulders with Boris's name were discovered. In the 1930s, two of these were blown up by Communist authorities as religious objects and their remains used to pave the road between Minsk and Moscow. Another one was thrown into the river, where it had not been discovered until 1988. When they tried to lift it, the stone splintered into three pieces. Three other boulders were removed to be exhibited near St. Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk, in the Museum of Boulders in Minsk, and in Kolomenskoe near Moscow. Polatsk (Belarusian: По́лацак, По́лацк; Polish: Połock, also spelt as Polacak; Russian: По́лоцк, also transliterated as Polotsk, Polotzk, Polock) is the most historic city in Belarus, situated on the Dvina... Location Location of Minsk, shown within the Minsk Voblast Government Belarus District City Belarus Minsk Voblast Minsk City City 980 (Polatsk) Mayor Mikhail Pavlov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 256 km² Population  - City (2006) 1,780,000 Coordinates Elevation 280. ... Kolomenskoye (Коломенское) is a former royal estate situated several miles to the south-east of Moscow downtown, on the ancient road leading to the town of Kolomna (hence the name). ... Location Position of Moscow in Europe Government Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 1,081 km² Population  - City (2005)    - Density 10,415,400   8537. ...

The label applied to the stones is somewhat misleading, as one of the stones does not mention Boris at all. "In each case the centerpiece is an enormous cross flanked by abbreviated elements of the conventional Greek legend proclaiming Christ's victory".^[1] It is generally accepted that Boris mentioned in the inscriptions was Vseslav's son, although it is quite likely that such boulders had been venerated by pagan Slavs long before the land was Christianised. Usiaslau Bryachislavich (also Vseslav also Usiaslau the sorcerer, ca. ...

See also

• The cross of Saint Euphrosyne
• Jelling stones — similar landmarks in Denmark

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References

1. ^ Simon Franklin. Writing, Society and Culture in Early Rus, C. 950-1300. Cambridge University Press, 1992. ISBN 0-521-81381-6. Page 75.

External links

• (Russian) Article by Konstanty Tyszkiewicz
• (Russian) Photographs