Sensational discoveries in the history of architecture

Let’s get an insight into the groundbreaking revelations in architecture — what mysteries are unveiled at the millennia-old settlement at the Menka River

The wealth of remarkable discoveries hidden beneath Belarusian soil is inexhaustible. Unique findings emerge from time to time, prompting us to rethink our understanding of history. Excavations are currently underway at the ancient city ramparts and the settlement along the Menka River, where the historical city of Mensk once stood. Each day brings new artefacts which prove that Minsk’s history is far older than we previously believed. Journalists from SB. Nedelya [Week] have visited the excavation site to delve into the archaeological mysteries, immerse themselves in the spirit of antiquity, and understand how life unfolded in these regions a thousand years ago.

Excavations at the Menka River, Minsk Region 

Two cities by two rivers  

The first mention of Minsk, as we all know, dates back to the year 1067. Along with that, even the sparse lines in The Tale of Bygone Years prompt reflection. “In the year 6575 (1067), three Yaroslavich brothers — Izyaslav, Svyatoslav, and Vsevolod — gathered troops and marched against Vseslav in severe frost. They approached Mensk, and the men of Mensk locked themselves in the city...” the chronicle states. It becomes clear that by 1067, Minsk was already a sufficiently large and fortified city. However, the defensive structures did not aid the inhabitants a lot, “These brothers captured Mensk, slaughtered all the men, took the women and children captive, and went to the Nemiga, while Vseslav marched against them. The opponents met at the Nemiga on the third day of March; and there was heavy snow...” This raises the question: where did the invaders take the captured townsfolk, considering that Mensk was already located on the Nemiga? This is why researchers have long looked towards the Menka River, which flows about 17 kilometres from the medieval Minsk settlement. There have been vast earth ramparts along its banks since ancient times — clearly manmade and undoubtedly concealing intriguing historical artefacts. 
The mysteries of the ancient settlement give no peace to Andrei Voitekhovich, Head of Archaeology Department for the Middle Ages and Modern Times at the Institute of History of Belarus’ National Academy of Sciences. 

In 2022, large-scale excavations of the settlement’s rampart section began, yielding numerous sensational finds. The most significant discovery was a pot base featuring an image of a trident with a cross-shaped top — the personal family coat of arms of Prince Izyaslav, the son of proud noblewoman Rogneda of Polotsk and Prince Vladimir, ‘the son of a slave woman’. This indicates that the ancient city belonged to the Principality of Polotsk and was large enough to host a prince.

Wild boar and Zmey Gorynych

They say that ships once sailed along the Menka River and there was a port in the city. Nowadays, after a thousand years of changes in the terrain, this is hard to believe — the stream, barely a metre wide, hardly resembles a navigable waterway. However, the earth ramparts overgrown with grass and trees look impressive, and not without reason — they conceal formidable defensive fortifications. These are wooden structures several metres wide and about nine metres high. “They are classic ancient Russian fortifications — gorodnya [log framework filled with earth or stones],” noted Andrei Voitekhovich. “There are no other defensive constructions in Eastern Europe preserved like that!”    
The klet’ wooden structures are built from logs, mostly oak, with thick branches intentionally left in place to serve as hooks for better binding. Thanks to the clay soil, the logs have been preserved quite well. However, once they appear on the surface and are exposed to oxygen and sunlight, they become vulnerable. Their conservation is managed by a company with extensive experience in bog oak extraction and preservation.
The process is accompanied by intriguing discoveries. For instance, a branch was found carved in the shape of a zoomorphic figure looking like a dragon’s head (more specifically, Zmey Gorynych’s head) or a ram with twisted horns, or a bird with a long beak. 

Regardless of what our ancestors intended to depict, the find is truly sensational, as no other ancient wooden zoomorphic figures preserved like that have been found in our region. The researchers are also interested in a wild boar’s jaw, which appears to have been literally hammered into the trunk, presumably as a talisman. The boar is an animal dedicated to the god of thunder and military power — Perun — symbolising warrior spirit and invincibility, expected to instil apprehension in foes.

The cleaned logs will be dried and then treated under vacuum with a special preservative solution. After this, it will be possible to restore the ancient klet’ structures and display them in a museum or an open-air ethnographic complex. Notably, radiocarbon analysis has shown that the defensive fortifications were built in the 990s. This suggests that by that time, Mensk had become a fully-fledged city, while the settlement itself had appeared much earlier.

Excavations at the Menka River, Minsk Region

City was bustling with life

The main excavation works took place in the settlements — areas beyond the city ramparts where craftsmen and peasants lived. Around 80 students from Vitebsk, Polotsk, Mogilev, Gomel, and Brest are working hard there. The work is painstaking and not easy under the scorching sun. However, the discoveries are encouraging — Vitebsk students Daniil Tolstov and Rodion Zapolskikh have just uncovered an impressive fragment of a ceramic jug. “The finds indicate that ancient Mensk was a vibrant place; it was a major trade and cultural centre, where paganism co-existed with Christianity,” emphasised Andrei Voitekhovich.
The military theme is represented quite modestly, with a few arrowheads, a combat knife, and a ring from a chain mail. This indicates that our ancestors did not change their ways — for many centuries, we have remained an exclusively peaceful people. Even the urban fortifications served only a defensive purpose. 
What happened to the city? The researchers believe that its decline was due to several factors. By the end of the 11th century, the territory of Mena District became a principality. Prince Gleb Vseslavovich established a new capital at the confluence of two rivers — the Svisloch and the Nemiga. It is clear that the nobility, traders, and craftsmen gradually flocked to this new centre, which retained its previous name. Apparently, the two cities existed side by side for some time, but one thrived and the other fell into decline.

New chapter in history

According to Andrei Voitekhovich, the answer to the question of where our capital actually originated is crucial for understanding the country’s history, “We can now assert that by the 11th century, it was already a major city with a vibrant life and formidable fortifications. For the first time in the history of archaeology in Eastern Europe, such a combination of wooden structures has been identified in such remarkable condition. This marks a new chapter in the history of Slavic defensive architecture that everyone will study.”
This season, archaeologists plan to conduct two excavations within the ancient settlement, specifically within the area surrounded by the ramparts, as well as to cut through the city rampart leading into the settlement. However, excavations are far from the most complex aspect of the work. The most important work will begin later as the findings need to be preserved, studied, interpreted, and the mosaic needs to be pieced together to form a coherent picture. 
What will be created at the Menka? “This unique archaeological site is a national treasure,” underscored Vadim Lakiza, Director of the Institute of History of Belarus’ National Academy of Sciences. “There is an idea to create a historical and cultural reserve at this location. It will include a pavilion with a controlled temperature setting where visitors will be able to see the restored wooden structures in their original form. There will be space for several residential buildings constructed using the techniques of that time, allowing tourists to get an insight into the daily life of that period. Naturally, a museum is necessary, where all the findings will be exhibited. Those interested will have the opportunity to participate in the excavations — there will be enough work here for decades to come. This complex will be unique; there is nothing like it in Eastern Europe.” 

By Oksana Nevmerzhitskaya

Photos by the Institute of History of Belarus’ National Academy of Sciences, Sergei Dupanov, Ivan Yarivanovich, and Yelizaveta Kobetskaya