MAIN PRINCIPLES OF RESEARCH OF THE OCCUPATIONAL STRUCTURE OF BUILDERS IN PRE-MONGOLIAN RUS
The subject matter of the article is the construction industry in the years of pre-Mongolian Rus. The complexity and diversity of the construction process reflect some peculiarities of the social life in ancient Rus. Therefore, the study of the construction industry reveals particular technological advancements as well as the professional and social organization of crafts in ancient Rus. In the article, the organization of the building process is considered as an integrated process. A considerable amount of information can be obtained from ancient sources, such as monuments, although they do not constitute any accurate evidence of the construction process. We may identify the number of the so-called "artels" (construction gangs), as well as trace their routes from one construction centre to another. By the commencement of the Mongolian invasion, construction gangs had already established close connections with the prince in power, and their routes were always determined by dynastic relationships of princes. Their work was strongly influenced by Byzantine and West European countries. Therefore, the analysis of the whole construction industry is a vital constituent of the study of the history and culture of ancient Russians.