In the modern world, money plays one of the most important roles in human life; it actively functions and permeates all spheres of society. Now without money it is almost impossible to legally acquire the desired product. How did the ancient people of Kiev or Novgorod dispense with “sparkling coins,” sometimes pushing people to do cruel things?
First mention of centuries
The first mention of the centuries is dated to the 4th century (853-858). It was a time when warlike Khazars seized the possessions of the peoples bordering them and obliged them to pay tribute.
Monk Nestor in his famous "Tale of Bygone Years" initially writes about "believers": "... And the Khazars took from the meadow for whitewash and fancies."
Believer, or vexa, is the name of red squirrels. Underwear was meant a winter skin of squirrel or dressed skin of any animal.
Supporters of "shaggy money" argue that in those days they paid with animal skins, mainly squirrels, ermines or weasels.
Others, on the contrary, adhere to the theory of metallic money. The so-called metalworkers argue that vechs are not squirrels, but silver coins that were round or oval and made of metal (silver, iron, gold or cast iron).
Meaning of the word veksha
So, from the previous paragraph it is clear that the veksha, or belief, is a monetary unit that can be compared with the modern Russian penny. It was the smallest currency unit.
In addition to the well-known definition (veksha - a small monetary unit of Ancient Rus), the term had other meanings, and not only of positive content:
- In the neglecting meaning of the century, they called a restless child, as well as a woman who neglects the duties of mother and mistress in the house.
- Vekshy was also called a skating rink in a block or a block which “runs like a squirrel” in lifting shells; the rope base in two blocks was called running. On the top, weights were usually lifted.
- Veksha is an ordinary squirrel, a rodent from the squirrel family, which is the only representative of the squirrel genus in the Russian fauna.
How many centuries has a cow cost in Kievan Rus?
The largest monetary unit of the Old Russian state was the hryvnia. In those days, one hryvnia equaled 150 centuries. The silver veil weighed about 0.3 grams.
N. M. Karamzin was one of the few historians involved in the analysis of "Russian Truth" - a collection of ancient Russian legislation.
The scientist established that in Ancient Russia a cow could be bought for two hryvnias. If 150 centuries is one hryvnia, then on average it was necessary to pay 300 centuries for one cow.
For comparison: a cow was second only to a prince's horse in price. A good horse cost three hryvnias for Old Russian money, for those times it was a lot of money.
As mentioned earlier, instead of metal money, the Russians also used bundles of skins of fur animals. However, if the wool was shabby, then it could not be exchanged for any necessary goods.
A bunch of 18 squirrel skins was equated to one silver coin.
Thus, the veksha is not only a silver coin, but also a squirrel skin, which served as a way of acquiring or exchanging goods in Ancient Russia.