Ivan Rezansky's SCA Adventures

Leatherworking and Shoemaking in Novgorod the Great

My research on Russian quivers for the project I’m working on led me to the article below, about leatherworking in…

Quivers and Bow Cases in Medieval Rus

I was starting to work on a quiver for my crossbow bolts, and found this book while trying to locate…

The Arrival of the Crossbow in Medieval Rus’

I was recently doing some research into medieval archery, and came upon a book by A.F. Medvedev that was completely…

Pagan Elements in the Decorative Art of Medieval Rus’: Rusalia, Simargl, and Pereplut

Today, I’d like to present an article I recently finished reading by B.A. Rybakov, about the symbolism on silver cuff…

Trade Relations Between Volga Bulgaria and Northern and Eastern Europe in the Pre-Mongol Period (9th-early 13th cent.)

Today’s post is a translation of an article about the important trade route which passed through Volga Bulgaria between Europe…

The Khanate of Volga Bulgaria

I recently became aware of a state that existed to the east of the Rus’ kingdoms, known as Volga Bulgaria,…

Styles of Medieval Russian Jewelry from the 9th-13th Centuries

It has been a while since I’ve posted. My summer was full of non-SCA projects, including my gardens, renovating my…

Jewelry Of Medieval Novgorod (10th-15th centuries): Rings

I recently finished reading and translating a chapter from Jewelry of Medieval Novgorod by M.V. Sedova, an overview of jewelry…

Kievan Jewelers On The Eve of the Mongol Conquest

After reading a few sources about Novgorod’s jewelry production industry, I was interested in seeing how it sized up against…

Torcs: One Form of Medieval Russian Neck Bling

After reading about medieval Rus’ torcs in Седова, М.В. «Шейные гривны.» Ювелирные изделия древнего Новгорода (Х-XV вв.). Москва: Издательство «Наука», 1981,…