What is the size of the Gnezdovo archaeological site in Smolensk Oblast Russia?
The archaeological site of Gnezdovo stretches across 17.5 hectares near the village of Gnyozdovo in Smolensk Oblast, Russia.
Questions about Gnezdovo
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did Russian and Soviet archaeologists begin exploring the burial mounds at Gnezdovo?
Russian and Soviet archaeologists began exploring these mounds in 1874 under M.F. Kustsinsky and V.I. Sizov excavated several hundred burial mounds later that same century.
Where was the hoard containing 10th century silver ornaments discovered at Gnezdovo found?
A hoard containing 10th century silver ornaments was discovered during the construction of the Orel-Vitebsk railway in 1867.
Why did the settlement of Gnezdovo decline in the early years of the 11th century?
Gnezdovo declined alongside other Varangian trade stations in Eastern Europe by the end of the 11th century when its importance as a trade center had been completely supplanted by nearby Smolensk.
What is the origin of the place-name Gnezdovo recorded in documents from the 17th century?
The place-name Gnyozdovo seems to be a late medieval derivation from the Slavic word for nest and it is first recorded in documents dating to the 17th century.