Arystov V. Early chronicling in the studies of the 19th - the beginning of 20th century: Olexiy Shakhmatov's works and their context.

The dissertation discovers methodological and conceptual basis, the context and the process of formation of Shakhmatov's views on the history of early chronicling, and also peculiarities of their reception in historiography. So called "Shakhmatov's method", i.e. totality of conceptions and methods of chronicle studies, is analyzed. The sources of Shakhmatov's methodology are identified in available to him works (in the fields of chronicle researches and linguists). The changes in Shakhmatov's methodology during his scholar life are traced. The theory and the practice of chronicle studies, which were undertaken in the 19th - the beginning of 20th (by Shakhmatov in particular), are considered in the context of European (namely, German and Polish) source studies and textual criticism. Western influence on the development of chronicle studies in Russia and its specificity is examined. Key elements of the so called "Shakhmatov's scheme", i.e. ideas about the history of early chronicling: Initial Compilation, Nestor's Chronicle, the oldest chronicle compilations, three redactions of the Primary Chronicle and some others. On the basis of various writings, the links of Shakhmatov's hypotheses to the ideas of his predecessors and evolution of them are traced. On this ground the changes of Shakhmatov's views on the history of early chronicling are outlined. The nature of rupture between Shakhmatov and previous historiography as well as the first critical responses on his works are analyzed. The causes of Shakmatov's success are discovered. The process of building up of the "Shakhmatov" tradition in historiography is traced, and the conceptual framework of this phenomenon is considered.