The Medieval Mordva According to Archaeological Data

The process of formation and cultural development of the Mordovians (the Mordva) in the Middle Ages is considered in the article. The Mordovian ethnos had started its formation process in the early Common Era by way of merger of small related ethnic groups. By the 8th century, these groups united into two subethnoses – the Moksha and the Erzya, which have been preserved up to date. Four major stages are identified in the medieval history of the Mordva, which are mainly traced on the basis of archeological materials: 1) final stage of the tribal system (8th–10th cc.); 2) formation of the early Mordva states in the 11th–13th cc.; 3) the Mordva as part of the Golden Horde in the second half of the 13th through to 15th cc.; 4) the Mordva as part of the Russian State in the 16th to18th cc. For each period, the settlement area of the Mordovians, the characteristic features of their material culture, and the predominant directions of cultural relations are determined.