Materials for the history of farming in European Russia before the mid seventeenth century originate almost exclusively from princely or monastic sources; this gives rise to considerable difficulties. It might be thought that Soviet historians operating within a Marxist conceptual framework, and therefore paying considerable attention to the economic basis of society and to the primary producers, would have made substantial correctives to offset the limitations and distortions due to the nature of the materials. Yet, for example, Soviet medieval archaeology has so far paid little attention to the countryside; nor have Soviet historians devoted much attention to technology. There have been some Soviet articles on tillage implements, but the latest serious Russian monograph on the main implement was published in Vyatka as long ago as 1908. In fact, neither Soviet literature nor western works on the history of farming before Peter the Great appear to make adequate allowance for the reality of the Russia which lies concealed behind the documents.

It may seem impertinent for an Englishman to attempt to introduce correctives to the generally accepted picture of farming in Russia in the period between the Mongol invasions and the mid seventeenth century (lack of earlier data compels us to concentrate on the period from the fifteenth century). Perhaps, however, the very remoteness of Russia from England and the different experience of our own agricultural history may contribute something new.