Recently Russian government has introduced another official memorable date – the Day of Christening of Russia that is to be marked on July, 28th. The new holiday, however, is not a day off for Russians. So, what is it all about, this date?

Archeology as scientific study of objective historical monuments was well established in Russia not until the 19th century. Describing and collecting archeological monuments, however, started much earlier: relics of religious significance were kept in church vestries, whereas various antique valuables were gathered in tsars’ treasuries.

By the time of adopting Christianity the Old Rus’ was already good at wooden sculpture, moulding, and embossing. As for architecture, it surely existed, but it is hardly possible to say now at what stage of development it was, since not a single monument of the pre-Christian epoch has survived: something did not stand the test of time, while the major part was presumably destroyed by people.

From times immemorial bells were treated in quite a special way in Old Rus. Many tales and legends would tell about bells’ supernatural abilities, such as foretelling and averting danger.

The Romanovs, till the 16th century bearing the surname of the Zakharyins-Yurievs, was an old Russian boyar kin that in 1613 turned to be the tzar’s and in 1721 the emperor’s family.