Zatylyuk Y. Old Rus’ Past in the Kyivan Writings of the 17th Century: Texts, Authors, and Readership.

The thesis attempts to explore the phenomenen of knowledge about the past within the context of its social circulation as well as peculiarities of historical thinking and writing in the Early Modern period with the specific focus on Ukrainian historical writings of the 17th century. Methodological framework of the research bases on the concept «culture of remembrance» which stresses the process of creating ideas about past and their interpretations within wider social environment. Generally, study concentrates on the following subjects: historical writings, background and intentions of their authors, readership and intellectual environment. In contrast to a rather weak historical curiosity in Kyiv during the period of 14th – 16th century, a bulk of texts on the Old Rus’ history was produced here in the 17th century. Kyivan well-read erudits from the Orhodox clergyman community started to remind themselves of the Old Rus’ princes, saints and churches. They started to demonstrate interest in the Polish chronicles (especially published Khronica by Macej Stryjkowski that was translated into Old Ukrainian) and to collect historical chronicles (primarily, by copying the Hypatian and Tver’ chronicles) or to form large manuscript codexes with historical information.