he early history of Russia, like those of many countries, is one of migrating peoples and ancient kingdoms. In fact, early Russia was not exactly "Russia," but a collection of cities that gradually coalesced into an empire. I n the early part of the ninth century, as part of the same great movement that brough the Danes to England and the Norsemen to Western Europe, a Scandanavian people known as the Varangians crossed...

Solution to some of the problems that papyrus had have been found in parchment - thin material created from hide of animals (calfskin, sheepskin or goatskin). Historians have found proof that parchment was in use even in 3nd millennia BC (Egyptian examples of leather prepared for writing date to 2500 BC), but organized production and the popularity of parchment arrived in 3rd century BC with the exploits of the Greek manufacturers in Pergamon. Under the leadership of the...

One kind of auxiliary work that monks devoted significant time to was the copying of books. This was a natural extension of the importance of liturgy for monks, because books were necessary not only to perform the liturgy, but also to train monks in Latin sufficiently to perform the liturgy correctly. Due to monasteries being centers of education and book production, they became important transmitters of all kinds of learning during the early medieval period and not just the theological and...