This article or section should be merged with Krivichs

Kryvian (Krivian, Kriwi) - of or pertaining to the Kryvichy (be: Крывічы), a confederation of prehistoric tribes whose area of settlement included what is now north-eastern Belarus and western Russia. At the beginning of the 10th century the Principality of Polatsk (Polacak) was established in the territories of Kryvichy. The inhabitants of the Principality are several times referred to in the Chronicles as Kryvichy as late as the 12th century (e.g. annals for 1127, 1129, 1140, 1162).

The name was still used even at a later time. For example, a German chronicler from Duisburg wrote in 1314: “Frater Henricus Marschalcus... venit ad terram Crivitae, et civitatem illam, guae parva Nogardiadicitur cepit”. And in a Polish publication "Kazanie na Pogrzeb Maryanny Korsakуwnej" (Lublin, 1687. Б. II, 49) the Polatsk saint Pаrахеdis was called “Rеginа Кrivitае” (the queen of the Kryvians).

Kriwi  album cover

In poetry Kryvichy is often used as a metonym for Belarusians - particularly in contexts evoking a heroic past. KRIWI is also a name of a Belarusian folk-rock band. "Kryvich" ("Крывіч") was a also name of a magazine that Belarusian historian Vaclau Lastouski published in Kouna (Kaunas) in 1923-1927.

Together with Drehovians, Radzimians and some Baltic tribes Kryvians formed the basis of the modern Belarusian nation.