Lecture by Archaeologist Pavel Kolosnitsyn: “Novgorod Birch Bark Letters. Messages from the Middle Ages”

The Novgorod birch bark letters are a unique historical source from the 11th to 15th centuries that reveal the lives of medieval Novgorod residents. Among more than 1,200 surviving documents are personal letters, love notes, legal complaints, debtor lists, drafts of documents, writing exercises, and much more.

In this lecture, we will learn how writing on birch bark originated, the role these letters played in Great Novgorod, and explore some of the most fascinating examples!