Portage crosses on the historical waterways of Russia

Abstract Waterways and the portages connecting them played a crucial role in the colonization and economic development of forest landscapes of the vast territory of the Center and the North of the Russian Plain. Since VIII - XI centuries, water transport and trade routes started developing: "The Great Volga Route", the route "From the Varangians to the Greeks", the Severodvinsk Route and others. The system of trade routes in the territory of Ancient Russia was gradually created by the efforts of not only the Slavs, but also other peoples who inhabited Eastern Europe, including the Baltic and Finno-Ugric tribes, the Volga Bulgarians, the Khazars, and, only partially, the newcomer Vikings. These main international trade routes of ancient times would not have been possible if the local population of the interstream areas had not discovered and mastered the "portages", i.e. areas where it is possible to transport overland, or rather "drag" through "portage" or "towpath" (along the shortest paths between the upper reaches of the rivers), water crafts, boats with goods and people from one river basin to another.