Russia Is Neither the West Nor the East, But the North

Andrey Golovnev, Director of the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (the Kunstkamera), lectured about Russia’s northernness as a fundamental aspect of its civilization.

The lecture also addressed the need to consider certain historical interpretations, particularly regarding Kievan Rus’.

Essentially, it [Kievan Rus’] is northern — Ladoga, Novgorod, Varangian. Kyiv emerged later as a consequence of the movement from north to south. If we look at the origins, it was the North fundamentally responsible for establishing the geographical expanse, culture, and statehood of Rus’. We are simply used to reading history upside down, he emphasized.

This lecture is part of a series of historical and educational meetings focused on the history of Arctic exploration and the Northern Sea Route. The series aims to illustrate the profound impact that the Arctic and the North have had on Russia’s cultural, economic, and civilizational identity throughout history, as well as contemporary development strategies for Russia’s northern regions.

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