Anthropology, archeology, linguistics, anthroponymy and many other sciences are engaged in the ethnogenesis of the Slavs.
In general terms, the Slavs, as a community of people, arose and developed like other ethnic groups inhabiting the territory of Western and Central Europe. During the Paleolithic period, these were tribes that were united by the need for joint food production and protection from the claims of other tribes. At this stage, the Slavs have not yet stood out as a separate ethnic group. In any case, scientists cannot trace it. The problems of ethnogenesis of the Eastern Slavs began around the 12th-10th centuries BC.
At the indicated time, tribal communities appear that jointly own property and more or less fairly distribute production. The knowledge and skills of people from generation to generation are growing, and by the VI-V millennium BC, they will improve their weapons, domesticate the first animals, and then develop agriculture. The most important event at this stage was the discovery of metals, first copper, then bronze, and later iron. The problem of ethnogenesis of the Eastern Slavs is gaining new development. Those who have mastered the science of manufacturing metal and had raw materials for this have found themselves in a better position. The rest either bought or bargained, or won back.
The problem of ethnogenesis of the eastern Slavs of this period is visible in the mismatch, and sometimes the inconsistency of the results of studies conducted by different sciences. Fortunately, other nations, for example, the Greeks, were unusually developed by that time, erected marble temples, built complex irrigation systems, pools, sewers, and knew the writing very well. Thanks to the records of ancient Greek scholars, we can confidently say that by the middle of the VI century BC the Slavs already existed. Byzantine historians divided them into sklavins and Antes living outside the northern border of Byzantium. Their habitat lay between the Dnieper (Jordan) and the Danube (Istrom) on the one hand, and on the other stretched from the Vistula (Viskla), Elba and Oder (Procopius). For smart Greeks, our ancestors, who lived in houses similar to dugouts and did not even know the written language, seemed like barbarians. In fact, the ancient Slavs knew how to make and decorate clay dishes, draw, create various figures, mainly animals and birds, had the basis of religion. Unfortunately, during this period they abandoned the belief in reincarnation and began to cremate the dead, which complicates archaeological research.
Herodotus, in addition to the Ants and the Slavs, mentions the Wends, a people who lived in the lower reaches of the Vistula. Many scientists consider Venedov actually Slavs. Which of the Indo-European tribes inhabiting European territories is their ancestor, science does not give an answer. The problem of ethnogenesis of the Eastern Slavs lies in the poorly studied of this issue due to lack of data. Linguists base the development of the ethnos of the Eastern Slavs on the study of common words and terms that are found among many peoples, and by language they associate the Slavs with Italians and Prabalt.
Genetics base their findings on the study of the male Y chromosome, which is required to store information about common ancestors. The problem of ethnogenesis of the Eastern Slavs here lies in the multiple crosses of the genetic fund of the tribes, which is associated with migrations and endless wars of conquest. Genetics with a high probability of Balts are called the ancestors of the Slavs in general. At the same time, the northern Slavs associate with the Finno-Ugric, the Western with the Celts, and the southern with the Thracians. The ancestral home for the Eastern Slavs determine the territory of modern Ukraine. This is confirmed by archaeological excavations and a detailed study of the Prague-Korchakov and Prague-Penkov cultures. Although others associate the Slavs with Chernyakhov’s culture, that is, with the Goths. In those tough times, frequent bloody battles took place between the tribes.
Slavs, under the pressure of circumstances, went to undeveloped territories, settling along the banks of rivers and lakes, which caused the names of ancient communities. There were Vyatichi, Krivichi, Drevlyane, meadow and others. People surrounded their settlements with moats, surrounded by high strong walls. They became known as principalities, because the princes ruled there. In wartime, these were princes-military leaders. They were helped by a faithful squad, recruiting from the people. In peacetime, the rule was carried out by the princes of the unions of communities, whose power was much multilateral. The council of elders and popular assemblies, called the veche, helped solve the affairs of the communities to the princes.
By this time, the pagan religion had finally formed.
Paganism of the Eastern Slavs rooted in totemism and fetishism. The Slavs believed that they descended from any animals, but they could turn into them. They made worship totems (small animal figures found during excavations). Many Russian fairy tales, for example, the tale of the frog princess, indirectly confirm this. Also, the Slavs worshiped objects of nature, trees, ponds, forests and so on. Subsequently, the spirits of the ancestors were distinguished as objects for worship. There are water, foresters, brownies. The last stage of paganism is faith in the gods. The Slavs had gods of nature and phenomena, the main of which was the god of thunder and lightning Perun. Worshiping him and other pagan gods, the Slavs erected temples (open areas for rituals), performed rituals, according to some sources accompanied by human sacrifices.
The further division of labor, the development of trade, the growth of the well-being of some sections of the population and the impoverishment of others led society to the birth of statehood. The first such state among the ancient Slavs was Kievan Rus.