Ancestors of present Slavs treated the ancient Indo-European tribes inhabiting the huge territory of Eurasia. Gradually from them related groups of the people which united similar language of communication, economic activity and culture began to be allocated. Slavs also turned into one of such breeding communities.
Territory of accommodation
For the first time the famous chronicler of ancient time Nestor who stated the opening in "The story of temporary years" analyzed origin and the place of the historical settlement of east Slavs. In it he defined the historical territory of east Slavs which stretched along all Danube Current and to Pannony. According to Nestor the resettlement of Slavs began with Danube and nearby territories. The Kiev chronicler created the theory of origin of east Slavs known as Balkan or Danube. Gradually the area of their resettlement extended from Oder to Dnieper in the east, and from the Baltics to the Carpathians in the south.
Economic activity and life
Initially primary economic activity of east Slavs consisted of agriculture, cattle breeding, hunting and fishing. A little later the craft began to develop, but the main place in managing was all the same taken by agriculture. The rye, a millet, oats, wheat, barley, peas, a buckwheat, beans, a flax, etc. were the main crops for cultivation on fields. After simple podsechny agriculture the era of pashenny cultivation of the soil with iron plows came. Then for the first time use of iron led to production of surplus of agricultural products which exchanged on the necessary things in economy with other tribes.
In the 6-7th centuries AD the craft completely separated from agriculture, and the iron metallurgy and pottery actively began to develop. Only from metal the Slavic smiths made about 150 types of products.
Crafts and trade
Except the main crafts, east Slavs actively were engaged in crafts (hunting, a bortnichestvo, fishery), cultivation of a livestock, spinning of a cloth, preparation of skins of animals. Surplus of the made or prepared products were on sale or changed at other tribes on something necessary for life. As the proof of this fact can serve numerous finds of the Arab, Byzantine, Roman jewelry and coins on excavation of ancient settlements of east Slavs. The main trade ways lay across Volkhov, Dnieper, Don, Volga, Oka (the well-known way from the Varangian in Greeks). Bread, furs, wax, weapon, etc. were goods for sale in those days. In replacements jewelry, to expensive fabric, spice was bought.
Culture
Is known of the culture of the first Slavic tribes very little. The samples of applied art found on excavation say that in those days the jewelry was developed. Distinctive feature of culture of east Slavs is its religious and mystical component. At Slavs the custom according to which bodies of the dead were burned is widespread and on their place barrows where there were personal belongings of the dead and his weapon were built. The child's birth, a wedding, a christening were followed at Slavs by special ceremonies too.