Peculiarities of Economic Activity of Sevriuks (XIVth to XVIIth Centuries)

Author

Balushok Vasyl – a PhD. In History, an expert in the field of historical ethnology

Peculiarities of Economic Activity of Sevriuks (XIVth to XVIIth Centuries)

Abstract

Although the territory of Sivershchyna fell into the northern forest and the southern forest-steppe regions, economic pursuits on either area were generally approximate, since on the south, in conditions of exposure to Tartars and wealth of arable lands, there was a progress of forest trades as well. The economy of Sevriuks was comprehensive and embraced agriculture, animal husbandry, forest apiculture, hunting, fishing and other crafts. The tillable nature of agriculture is attested by the presence of numerous tillage implements, among which wooden ploughs, especially oryky and ori of various designs, occupied a notable place. Animal husbandry (horses, cattle, swine, and poultry) was widespread. At the same time, Sevriuks’ factory farming prevailed over real sectors. Fishing and hunting have had a significant development. In multiple rivers, Sevriuks caught fish of various breeds by the instrumentality of fishing nets, yazy (tackle in the form of wattled hedge athwart a river or a bay with the gateway, in which a fishing basket or a triple dragnet is put in for fishing) and other fishing gear. Among those breeds, sturgeons were highly appreciated. Hunters made use of bows and arrows, spears, snares, and perevisy. Objects of hunting were fur-bearing animals, particularly martens and beavers, as well as deer, elks, aurochs procured for meat; wild horses were caught for taming. There was also hunting for forest birds and waterfowl for food and feathers. The most advanced trade of Sevriuks was forest apiculture, by products of which tributes were paid. A considerable development of crafts, as well as such tillage implements as oryky and ori, can be considered ethno-cultural features of Sevriuks.

The economy of Sevriuks permanently evolved called forth by their headway from the forest area to forest-steppe, as well as by cultural borrowings from inhabitants of the steppe. In the issue, their economy, while retaining a chain of features, gradually approached the model native to the majority of the Ukrainians. And the latter, along with versatile relations with the rest of Ukrainian population, determined the transformation of Sevriuks into the sub-ethnic group of Rusyns-Ukrainians. However, upon Muscovy’s capturing Sivershchyna in the early XVIth century, this ethno-evolutional process was interrupted. Weakened by Muscovy’s punitive measures, Sevriuk community has been assimilated by the early XVIIIth century in the course of extensive migrations. At the time, the singular economic complex of Sevriuks ceased to exist.

Keywords

agriculture, tillage implements, animal husbandry, hunting, fishing, forest apiculture, banners of wild bees’ nests.

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