Issue 1 (90)
| “RUBLENY GOROD” IN RUSSIAN FORTIFICATION OF THE 17TH–18TH CENTURIES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2026 | Number | 1 (90) |
| Pages | 75-84 | Type | scientific article |
| UDC | 94(571)“16/17“:902.2(571) | BBK | 63.2(253)51+63.4(253) |
| Authors | Gorokhov Sergej V. |
Topic | URBAN ARCHAEOLOGY |
| Summary | This article addresses the problem of interpreting the term “rubleny gorod” (literally “hewn town”) in the context of the history of Russian fortification during the 17th and 18th centuries. In modern his toriography, this concept is traditionally viewed as a generic term for wooden fortresses with walls composed of gorodni (log cribs) or tarasy (log frameworks). The author challenges this approach, pointing to the inadmissibility of terminological modernization and the groundless equation of distinct structural schemes. The study aims to determine the authentic meaning of the term based on a comprehensive analysis of written and archaeological sources from the indicated period. The research employs methods of statistical lexical analysis, chronological modeling of term usage, and geographical mapping of fortresses. The author analyzes the co-occurrence frequency of the terms “rubleny gorod”, “tarasy,” and “gorodni,” and verifies the findings using ethnographic materials and data from archaeological excavations (Yakutsk, Mangazeya, Turukhansk, Tomsk, and Udinsky Ostrog). The results demonstrate that the terms “rubleny gorod” and “tarasy” are almost never used together in sources to describe a single object, which suggests a semantic distinction between them. It is established that the widespread use of the term “rubleny gorod” chronologically coincides with the emergence of a new construction technology in the 1620s: erecting of two parallel horizontal log walls connected by cross-ties (pereruby). It is proven that it was precisely this structure, which replaced the archaic gorodni (separate log cribs), that was designated as a “rubleny gorod”. Thus, the author substantiates the need of revising established scientific notions: “rubleny gorod” is a strict term for a specific type of wall (two walls with cross-ties), rather than a synonym for any log fortress. | ||
| Keywords | Russian state, fortification, rubleny gorod, gorodni, “two-wall” construction, tarasy | ||
| References |
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