The Krivichs or Kryvichs (Russian: кри́вичи, romanized: krivichi, IPA: [ˈkrʲivʲɪtɕɪ]; Belarusian: крывічы́, romanized: kryvičý, IPA: [krɨvʲiˈt͡ʂɨ]) were a tribal union of Early East Slavs between the 6th and the 12th centuries.
[2] They migrated to the mostly Finnic areas in the upper reaches of the Volga, Dnieper, Dvina, areas south of the lower reaches of river Velikaya and parts of the Neman basin.
[4] The article in the encyclopedia Мифы народов мира [ru] clarifies that this interpretation comes from East Slavic mythology.
[citation needed] The Krivichs left many archaeological monuments, such as the remnants of agricultural settlements with traces of ironworks, jeweler's art, blacksmith's work and other handicrafts; long burial mounds of the 6th to 9th centuries with cremated bodies; burial mounds of rich warriors with weapons; sets of distinctive jewelry (bracelet-like temporal rings and glass beads made out of stretched wire).
The Krivichs as a tribe took part in Oleg's and Igor's military campaigns against the Byzantine Empire.