THE IMAGE OF THE KIEVAN RUS POPULATION IN BYZANTINE SOURCES

Drawing on Byzantine written sources and fine arts, this article reproduces the Byzantine ideas about the image of the Kievan Rus population. They primarilyrelate to the anthropological characteristics of the Rusins: face contours, complexion, eyes and hair color, men’s hairstyles, character. Such data can be found in the historical works by Leo the Deacon, Michael Psellos, Anna Komnene, Georgius Pachymeres. Another valuable source is the Byzantine mosaic of the Last Judgment in Torcello, which contains alleged images of the Rusins and their ruler. The works of the Byzantine authors of the 10th – 13th centuries are not only an important source of historical ethnography of the Northern Black Sea region. They also allow considering the data on the appearance of the Rusins as part of the image of “aliens”, barbarians who oppose the Byzantine civilization and threaten its existence. This image could sometimes merge with the eschatological beliefs of the Byzantines.