Ancient crafts of Russia. What kind of crafts developed in Kievan Rus? Forgotten professions of ancient Russia Ancient professions in Russia

The Russian people never sat idle, except that on holidays they allowed themselves to relax a little. There were respected and rare professions in Russia, complex and mysterious. Some have not reached our times, others have received a new birth, and others have completely disappeared. What was the labor market in Russia?

1. Spitters

The spitters didn't make their living by what you might think. They sowed turnips. Why spitters? Because turnip seeds are very small, in one kilogram - more than a million. It is simply impossible to sow them in the usual way. So they came up with the idea of \u200b\u200bspitting out the seeds. This profession was one of the most honorable in Russia, and good spitters were worth their weight in gold.

2. Degtecura

In Russia, this profession was quite widespread. Degtekurs drove tar from birch bark. Tar was a versatile agent used both for lubricating the axles of wheels, locks or boots, and for impregnating sleepers and greasing the lower rims of wooden log cabins to protect them from moisture and water. But the main thing for which tar was needed was for the production of black (otherwise Russian) yuft, a special leather with a pleasant resinous smell, which was used to make shoes and harnesses. Resin workers worked next to tar trees - they extracted resin from conifers by distillation.

3. Coachmen and cabbies

The profession was so popular that it left a huge cultural layer in Russian art and literature. It should be distinguished: coachmen are like modern long-distance drivers, and cabbies are city taxi drivers. The coachmen transported not only people, but also postal parcels and correspondence, as well as various goods, such as goods for shops. Among the cabbies there was a classification. So, the vans represented economy class services. These were mainly visitors from villages who sometimes did not have their own transport. They had to rent both a horse and a carriage. For the trip, the vans took 30–70 kopecks.
The cargo taxi - lomoviks - worked on draft horses. Wealthy people took reckless drivers who had well-fed and beautiful horses plus very comfortable carriages. The reckless men estimated their work at 3 rubles. In addition to private traders, there were also city cabbies - "darlings" or "frisky". They were easy to recognize by their uniforms and license plate. It was possible to order a city cabman at a special exchange. Such a trip rarely cost more than a ruble.

Mowing grass has long been perceived in Russia as a common cause. However, the main "striking force" was still the mowers - usually very strong and hardy men. If there weren't enough of them, both women and old people went out to mow. By the way, some elderly people could give odds to young guys. They began to mow on the first dew, which moistened the grass and facilitated the course of the scythe.
A certain position of the hands, a wave of the scythe, its direction - there are many subtleties in this work. On how well the mower works, it directly depended on what product the cattle in the barn and the person on the table would receive. Usually during mowing they sang - amicably, cheerfully, thereby creating the necessary rhythm of work, because if one of the mowers hesitates, it’s not far from trouble. Haymaking is one of the most popular subjects in Russian art. Mowing is easy, you say. Of course, but only if it is not about mowing the grass.

5. Peddlers

The peasants who traded all over Russia were called peddlers, walkers, or offenes. They wore their goods (usually various useful little things) in large popular boxes, hence the name - peddlers. Their society, their own code, their concept of honor and even their own slang, which only people of this profession knew, distinguished peddlers from many other Russian workers.
Word formation in the Offeni language took place in various ways: Russian words were distorted beyond recognition, replaced in sentences by borrowings from other languages, and often simply invented. The attitude of the people towards the women was different. On the one hand, the oseny were often the only sources of news, narrators of tales and gossip, on the other hand, the Russian people were somehow always distrustful of people offering to buy something.

6. Buffoons

The king at court was entertained by a jester, but people in the streets and squares were amused by buffoons. The buffoons especially loved to work during fairs and various folk festivals. Still would! The people were kind, for a good joke and could give a new hat. The buffoons were jack-of-all-trades: witches, musicians, singers, and performers of various scenes. Do people need a thrill? Here's a bear! Want to be sharp and quick? The buffoon is ready to tirelessly perform all kinds of acrobatic steps. Each buffoon had its own role: comedian, funny man, lomaka, jester. As you know, the authorities did not really like people of this profession, but it was quite difficult to catch buffoons. They did not stay in one place, wandering from one city to another.

7. Mourners

In Russia, not a single ritual act, be it a wedding or a funeral, could do without mourners, or screams. Professionally trained to cry from an early age, because crying had to have a special melodic warehouse. The more piercingly the mourner moaned, the more reward she received in the end. If the tears for the deceased in most cases were sincerely shed by relatives, then not all brides, saying goodbye to their parents, managed to truly grieve for their girlish life. So women were invited, capable of shedding tears for hours on end, accompanying crying with various kinds of lamentations. The mourners were also present when the recruits were seeing off. Mourners were a mandatory attribute; their absence, for example, during a funeral was considered shameful.

8. Potters

In those distant times pottery it was entirely in skillful female hands. These bowls did not differ in particular beauty and sophistication, but they were made with their own hands, each housewife has her own bowl. Each craftswoman spiced up her work with an individual style and some kind of quirk, whether it be simple river sand, beautiful pebbles, and who is richer - decorated the craft with small pearls. In addition to bowls for household use, craftswomen made toys for their little ones, and even clay beads.

9. Shepherds

To help the producers of this airy delicacy, the girls were selected very strong and hardy. Two workers had to continuously beat a homogeneous mass of sour Antonovka for two days. After that, the peasant women laid out the pasta in an even layer so that it dried up and waited several days until the applesauce hardened, then they cut this delicacy into strips. It was quite hard work. Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy was very fond of pastila, his wife even came up with her own special recipe, which was very popular with relatives and guests of the house, the recipe had its own name - "Pastila Tolstoy".

10. Forge

Often in the lower Russian folklore, all kinds of evil spirits are mentioned, which confused horse manes and yarn. Since ancient times, various knots have been known, carrying both bad and good. It turns out that there were women, great craftswomen in this part of the intricacies ...
Ladder charms were woven with them to protect a person from being thin, other weaves could bewitch or even completely destroy. Various unusual objects were woven into silk or woolen ropes: bones, needles, even the wings of bats. Such magic was considered to be very powerful and dangerous for humans.

11. Midwives

Such women accepted newborn babies in families, and after that the midwife should have been honored and respected throughout her life. Other behavior was considered a sin among the people. Especially good midwives were placed in the coffin in mittens, out of respect for their skillful and magic hands. Men at that time were not allowed to approach women in labor, so the midwives took the whole process into their own hands. They knew a huge number of ancient prayers and conspiracies to protect the mother and newborn baby.
The midwife stayed with the young mother for forty days, helped to bathe, treat the baby, and most importantly, whit. In the old days, swaddling was called swaddling! These are the women's crafts in Russia, for us it is interesting Facts, and at that time these crafts were certainly in demand, and were an important part of the life of these people.

Turnip spitters

The ability to spit masterly could well ensure a comfortable life. But the main thing here was not to get carried away - to send "volleys" of a certain force at a strictly established distance. It was forbidden to talk during work, and the professional's mouth was full of seeds of the most popular root vegetable in Russia - turnip.

Until the 19th century, when, according to orders from above, potatoes nevertheless began to gradually displace it, turnip was the main product on the table: soups and cereals were cooked from it, baked, ate raw, stuffed pies (and geese) with it, fermented and salted for winter. A turnip crop failure was equated to a natural disaster, but first it was necessary to carry out a competent sowing. And the seeds of the root crop are so small that in 1 kg they can fit up to a million - when scattering by hand, it is not exactly sowing. It is not known who first invented this, but they began to "spit" turnips on arable land - a certain portion of seeds for a certain area. Good spitters were highly prized and taught their art to others.

Leech catchers

They spent work timethrashing the swamp slurry with a stick - imitated the entry of cattle into the water. The foolish leeches mistook it for the sound of the dinner gong and hurried to the meal. They were also lured to live bait, in the role of which the catcher himself acted: he went above the knees into the water and his legs were immediately covered with blood-sucking ones. It was then that they were collected. True, not always and not all. So, it was forbidden to catch leeches during breeding - in May, June and July. Also, “when fishing, only those fit for medical use must be selected, that is, at least 1 1/2 inches of length; leeches are small, as well as too thick, and should be thrown back into the water when fishing. The prey should be stored in the chill, in a container filled with earth.

Since ancient times, hirudotherapy has been held in high esteem: for any ailment, doctors first "bleed badly", and every merchant who loves to grumble knew that the best remedy for a hangover is leeches behind the ears. Moreover, Russia was successfully engaged in the export of bloodsucking. Before the revolution, up to 120 million leeches were exported to Europe annually - the income to the treasury was 6 million rubles. silver, which was comparable to the income from the export of grain.

Tail manufacturers

It was not just a profession, but a whole business that appeared in the “right” place at the “right” time. Alexander Dumas, the author of The Three Musketeers, who visited Russia in 1859, told about him.

It was a fierce winter when the wolves came out of the forests and, coming close to the villages, attacked not only livestock, but also people. The authorities took decisive measures and began to pay 5 rubles for each wolf's tail presented (therefore, the destroyed wolf). The people got excited, presented 100,000 tails, for which 500,000 rubles were paid. But something went wrong: they began to make inquiries, conducted an investigation and found a factory for the production of wolf tails in Moscow.

"From one wolf skin worth ten francs," the writer calculated, "they made from fifteen to twenty tails, which brought three hundred fifty to four hundred thousand: as we see, no matter how much the dressing itself cost, the income was three and a half thousand per hundred."

A similar story, according to some sources, seems to have happened also in the Vologda province - albeit earlier. There, on April 1, 1840, the wolf-tails hearing began. This was also preceded by an invasion of wolves and the promised reward for each tail - 1 kopeck. copper (a pood of rye flour then cost 50 kopecks). When the number of wolves practically disappeared, the peasants, accustomed to additional income, became sad and found a way out - they began to make wolf tails from hemp. A whole production arose: some made rods, others attached hemp, others combed, and others painted. As a result, they reached almost complete naturalism. The governor himself was in the share, and therefore the tailors worked quietly until the benefactor retired.

Screams

Professional mourners existed in ancient times - in Egypt, Greece, Rome. Moreover, in the empire, they even tried to limit their excessive grief: it was legally forbidden to scratch one's face and lament during burial. The Russian villages had their own mourners - crybirds. They were invited not only to funerals, where they could draw a tragic note for hours, but also to weddings. After all, the bride was supposed to leave the parental home, bursting into tears, but not shining with polished copper. Here the corresponding crying recitative came in very handy: "Oh, yes, sorry, goodbye, dear donny ...".

A real vocalist had to combine both author's talent and acting. Some have reached real heights in this matter. So, a resident of the village of Safronovo, Olonets province, Irina Fedosova, is dedicated to the essay by Maxim Gorky "Voplenitsa". “Orina,” the author pushes hard on “o”, “from the age of 14 she began to scream. She is lame because, at the age of eight, she fell from her horse and broke her leg. She is ninety-eight years old. In her homeland, her fame is wide and honorable - everyone knows her, and every well-to-do person invites her to "cry out" at funerals, weddings ... More than 30,000 verses have been written down from her words, while Homer's Iliad has only 27,815 !. . "

Rag pickers, crocheters

Could the workers of rags and garbage dumps have assumed that in the 21st century their business - on the separate collection of garbage - would become fashionable and relevant? Mournful cry "Old-ee-take-ee!" carried around the yards in the middle of the last century. For rags, cans, old newspapers, one could get all sorts of treasures: sugar cockerels, crackers, pipes and even bogey pistols that were loudly firing blank charges. Gradually, the matter came to naught. But before there was a whole empire.

For example, in the St. Petersburg slums near the Senny market there was a whole "Rag Wing", which occupied one of the buildings of the Vyazemskaya Lavra. It was not difficult to find it: in the courtyard there were mountains of rags, paper, bones and other garbage, the place of which was in the trash heap. But the workers of the rag front who lived here did not bother at all: the main thing was earnings. The hooker was considered the lowest in the hierarchy of collectors. His main tool was a hook planted on a stick, with which he rummaged, extracting what he needed, in dumps and garbage heaps, and thus earned about 50 kopecks. per day, and as much as 15 rubles per month. The finds were handed over to the mackerels (or "rag aces" - the owners of the artel), of which there were more than 50 in St. Petersburg in 1895. They also allocated the rag-pickers funds to buy (or exchange) rags from the population, in order to then hand them over to larger dealers or directly for processing ... The product was in demand. Thus, the owners of the Nevskaya stationery factory, the Vargunin merchants, spent up to 150,000 rubles on the purchase of rags. in year. And Krylov's stationery factory annually bought 50,000 poods of sandals in the Vologda province - 60 kopecks each. for a pood.

There are many alleys in Moscow named after the occupations of the people who lived in them. Tanners lived in Kozhevnichesky lane, kolpachny lane, and carpenters in Plotnikov lane. Oddly enough, in Khamovnichesky lane lived not boors, but weavers. And who lived in Vorotnikovsky Lane?

(The guards, or "collars".)

Translators (interpreters) used to live in Tolmachevsky Lane in Moscow, blacksmiths lived on Kuznetsky Most, and kolpachny Lane used to make hats. And what was produced on Verkhnyaya Bolvanovskaya Street?

(Blanks for hats. Now this street is called Verkhnyaya Radishchevskaya.)

In princely times Kiev was a real City of Masters. One of the most revered was the profession of those who were called "sorcerers working at the forge." What profession are you talking about?

(Potter - from the word "miner", that is, "a sorcerer working at the forge.")

Carpenters in Russia were unsurpassed builders. Without a single nail, they could both cut down the church and build a bridge. But from about the 10th century, stone structures were also erected. Not only walls were built of stone and brick, but houses as well. The name of the new profession comes from the building material from which the brick was made - clay. At that time, the word "clay" sounded like "zd" or "zod". How did the new profession and structures erected by such craftsmen come to be called?

(The architect who built the building.)

When in the 12-13 centuries. stokers in Russia went about their usual business, their main food was fish. Why?

(Because pirates were then called stokers, from the word "sink" ships.)

What was the name of the standard-bearer under Peter I?

(Once in Russia the banner was called the ensign. And under Peter I, the standard-bearer was called the ensign.)

The representative of what profession in Russia was called "goldsmith"?

(Jeweler.)

At the time of Catherine II, there was a profession whose people burned gold leaf from their uniforms. It was done this way: clothes were put on large baking sheets and stuffed into the oven. The fabric decayed, and the gold dripped into prepared buckets. Now the name of this profession, when applied to a person, has acquired an extremely negative connotation. According to Ozhegov's dictionary, this is a rogue, a rogue, a tight-fisted person. What is this profession?

(Burnout.)

Why in Russia did the merchants selling fabrics prefer to hire small sellers?

(In the old days, the fabric was measured with the elbows. The elbow is the distance from the elbow joint to the middle finger. A small seller has a shorter elbow, you can get more money for a piece of fabric.)

What was the name of the used goods dealer: maklak or wahlak?

(McLuck.)

Whom in the old days were they called "freaks": merchants or grooms?

(Merchants selling haberdashery goods, books, popular prints.)

Was a peddler in Russia engaged in trade or in the manufacture of birch bark boxes?

(Trade. Harassment sold haberdashery goods, small things necessary in peasant life.)

On the way from the Ambassadorial yard to the Kremlin, at one time it was possible to go to the so-called lousy market, where various old things were sold, and representatives of a certain profession also sat there. What kind of profession is this if the German traveler Adom Olearius recalled that he walked across the square as if on soft upholstery?

(Bradobrai, hairdresser - the whole square was covered with hair.)

Ancient Russia. A man walks up to an oak, pine or linden tree. In his hands he has an ax and a special knife, on his legs there are tree-dart thorns. What is his profession?

(Bortnik– a person who was engaged in fighting, from the word "to fight"– hollow tree. Borticulture– the oldest form of beekeeping, in which bees live in tree hollows.)

In the Middle Ages in Russia, the spinning profession was one of the most widespread. There were several dozen types of yarn, which made different types of threads for different purposes. The two most basic specialties of spinning were called founding and weaving. What they were doing?

(They made threads for the warp and weft, respectively. Weft - transverse threads of the fabric, intertwined with longitudinal ones - the warp.)

According to Dahl's dictionary, since ancient times in Russia they called those who sew clothes, a simple peasant tailor. And later - a cheesy fellow. How is it?

(Trash.)

In which russian city erected the only monument in the world to barge haulers, whose hard labor the Volga region was rich in?

(In the city of Rybinsk, which at one time received the unofficial status of the "capital of barge haulers".)

For which of the royal amusements was the Jägermeister previously responsible?

(For the hunt.)

What is the name of the master craftsman's assistant?

(Journeyman.)

In Russia, a careless apprentice, a craftsman, could be locked up with a tool and “put on bread and water” for a whole year. Only a four-legged friend could brighten up his loneliness. The masters that came from this training were very skillful. What was said about those of them who, due to hunger, acted with their friend in the learning process in a very unfriendly manner?

("I ate a dog on this.")

What is the name of the master who makes barrels?

(Cooper, or bochard.)

What was the name of all the cheap cabs in pre-revolutionary Moscow?

(Vanka.)

Was the servant in the tavern called a sex or dish servant?

(Sexual.)

How would our current bartender be called in the Russian state before the 18th century?

(Butler. This executivewho was in charge of wine cellars, who poured and served drinks at the feast.)

Previously, it was a merchant, a trader, mostly foreign. And now - a familiar person whom you accept in your home. Who is it?

(A guest.)

What Russian painter loved to paint merchants who were famous for their enterprising mind, and merchants - sleek and burly?

(Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev.)

Earlier in Russia, each person in this profession had his own teacher. Right to independent work the student received only after the death of the teacher. A man of this profession usually lived near his place of work and often, since the salary was small, combined several other professions - he was both a refectory and a gravedigger. Name this profession.

(Bell ringer.)

What old professions were threatened by such two misfortunes as deafness and lightning strikes?

(To the bell ringers.)

Guess who our ancestors called pestun?

(A caring educator. To nurture is to carefully, lovingly grow, educate, and also nurse.)

Translate to modern language the word "protective", which served as the name of one of the professions of our ancestors.

(Bodyguard.)

In P.P. Ershov "The Little Humpbacked Horse" we read:

Sleeping bag here with the skok
And from all that was feet
I went into the palace to see the king.

Who is "Sleeper"?

(In the Russian state of the 11-17 centuries - a courtier, whose duties were to help the Tsar to dress and undress.)

Previously, this word was used to call a servant who did dirty work, and now it is called a dirty, dirty woman. What is this word?

(Chumichka.)

What word in the old days was a scornful name for a writer and a journalist (it was used in the sense of "scribbler")?

("Silk-fin", from the phrase "flick the pen.")

What was the name of the philosopher in Russia?

(Wisdom, wisdom is philosophy.)

Clown or clerk used to be called "clown"?

(Clown.)

Who was called a horseman in Russia in the 18th - 19th centuries?

(A veterinarian who graduated from a special school.)

Interpreter or Basmach was a translator in Russia during conversation and negotiations?

(Interpreter.)

Who in Dahl's dictionary is called a scribe: an informer or a stenographer?

(A stenographer. Nowadays this is the ironic name for a person who writes quickly, hastily and superficially.)

Previously, this word was used to refer to the owner of the inn, but today they are called the employee who maintains cleanliness and order in the yard and on the street. What is this word?

(Janitor.)

Whom were they called representatives in Russia?

(Actors.)

A buffoon in the old days is ... Who?

(Magician, acrobat.)

What in Russia, according to Dahl, did the ore-thrower do?

(He bled to the sick. Usually this responsibility fell on the barbers.)

What did the solicitor do in Russia: jurisprudence, military affairs or cookery?

(Jurisprudence.)

A representative of what profession was called a sculptor in the old days? And the architect?

(Sculptor, architect.)

The Moscow Museum of which symbol of Russia became possible thanks to the hard work of fellers?

(Valenka Museum.)

What was the name of the hand wash worker?

(Laundress.)

Name the profession of people who, as a rule, were natives of Finland, carried a large spoon with a folding handle and had the right to visit baths in St. Petersburg in the 19th century for free.

(Chimney sweeps. They used a spoon with a large folding handle to scoop ash out of chimneys. In St. Petersburg in the 19th century, 2/3 of the chimney sweeps were Finns. After the revolution, they returned to their homeland.)

In Old Tallinn, they honestly carry out all their duties. Not forgetting to bring happiness to the one who touches them. Who are they?

(Chimney sweeps.)

"Without us, the human race will end!" - defended the honor of this profession Akulina Gavrilovna in a play about the adventures of Misha Balzaminov. What is this profession?

(Matchmaker.)

Whom was a sworn attorney called in 19th century Russia: a lawyer or a prosecutor?

(Lawyer.)

What was the name of the railway workers in the century before last?

(Travelers.)

Representatives of what ancient profession use ruff, weights and cables as improvised means at work?

(Chimney sweeps.)

This profession is quite dangerous. Indeed, according to available data in Russia, of all those who were engaged in this difficult profession, only 60% survived to retirement (although they did not go on a well-deserved rest). Now we do not have this profession. What is this profession?

(Tsar. Of all Russian tsars, only 60% died of old age, the rest were helped to die.)

Tell me, isn't it a shame that in Holy Russia
Thanks to you, we haven't seen any books until now?
What profession did A.S. Pushkin in these lines?

(To the censor.)

Pickpockets as specialist thieves appeared only in the 17th century, after the appearance of pockets on clothes. Who was the professional predecessor of pickpockets in Russia?

(Scammers. They cut off the wallet – purse.)

What would be called our Minister of Defense in Ancient Athens?

(Strategist. He commanded all the troops in Athens. They were Pericles, Themistocles, Alcibiades.)

AT Ancient Rome - a teacher who taught children the basics of linguistics - grammar. The reading teacher is a writer. The slave who accompanied the children to and from school is a teacher. And what was the name of the teacher of arithmetic in ancient Rome?

(Calculator.)

We draw information about the common people of ancient Rome mainly from epitaphs. Many inscriptions have been preserved about gladiators and about various artisans. And only one single inscription brought to us information about the representative of this profession. His name was Furius Filocal, he lived in Capua, as the epitaph says, "poor and honest." Times are changing, but even now most of the representatives of this profession, well known to you, live poorly and honestly. Name this profession.

(School teacher.)

What was the name of the teacher of eloquence in ancient Rome?

(Rhetorician.)

Soon after the first Olympiad of antiquity was held in honor of Zeus, for the first time in history, a service of "ellonodiks" was formed, who had undergone serious training. What are the names of their modern colleagues?

(Sports judges, or referees. "Ellonodic" literally means "Greek judge".)

This is one of the oldest "professions", but not the oldest. Translated from Greek, the name of this "profession" is "try", "test". No - this is not a test pilot. Some historians include Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama and Fernando Magellan as representatives of this "profession". Now this "profession" is experiencing a rebirth. Name this widespread “profession”.

(This is "pirate", from ancient Greek peiran.)

In ancient Rome, there was a profession of "argyroscope". What did the people of this profession do?

(They checked coins for teeth.)

In ancient Rome, there were up to 7 thousand professionals who are in demand to this day. True, then it was their duty to destroy the houses in case of anything. Now they are doing just that. What?

(They fill burning buildings with water and foam. These are firemen. And in those distant times, firefighters simply brought down the house to prevent the fire from spreading further.)

Did the Greeks call builders architects or architects?

(Architects.)

The tradition of this profession has existed for three centuries. At first, only men owned it, but by XVIII century women have completely ousted men from this profession. Its name is translated from Japanese as "man of art". What is this profession?

(Geisha is a professional dancer and singer invited to receive and entertain guests.)

What was the name of professional spies in medieval Japan who secretly performed a difficult task?

(Ninja.)

AT mid XIX century, the adding machines became widespread. They were served by specially trained people who could count quickly and accurately with the help of this device. Tell me what the profession of such a person was called.

(Calculator.)

As in feudal Russia 10-18 centuries. what were the big merchants who conducted intercity and foreign trade?

a) Guests;

b) Tourists;

c) Aliens;

d) Shuttles.

Who was in charge of beekeeping and honey making in the service of the medieval Russian prince?

a) Sleeping bag;

b) Falconer;

c) Cup;

d) Equestrian.

What or who was the equestrian in charge at the Russian court?

a) the royal chambers;

b) the royal kennel;
c) Royal stables;

d) Palace servants.

Who was in charge of the whole hound hunting in the landlord's time?
a) Hunter;

b) Traffic driver;
c) The lurker;

d) Borzovik.

From the vocabulary of representatives of what profession came the expression: "To go all the way"?

a) Kuznetsov;

b) Bell-ringers;
c) Burlakov;

d) Stolyarov.
(Which meant ringing big, heavy bells. Now this expression means: start doing something, using all the ways, opportunities, or begin to behave extremely reprehensible.)

By the great command of which Russian monarch in 1871, women were admitted to public service?

and) Peter I ;

b) Ivan IV the Terrible;
c) Alexander II.

d) Nicholas II.

What were the merchants called by all sorts of trifles who accompanied the troops on long campaigns?

a) Shopkeepers;

b) War traders;
c) Salesmen;

d) Marauders.

What was the shinkar doing?

and) Shredded cabbage;
b) Manufactured wheels;
c) Was engaged in tire repair;
d) Runs a small drinking establishment.
(Which was called a shinok.)

For spoon-makers, apprentices prepared wooden chocks for future spoons. The process was called that way. How?

a) Sharpen the fringes;

b) Beat the thumbs;
c) Pull the gimp;

d) Stabbing eyes.

Who in Odessa were called bindyuzhniki?

and) Raiders;

b) Port loaders;
c) Scrap cabs;

d) Market resellers.
(Carriers carrying heavy loads, cargo.)

What did the reketmaster do at the imperial court?
a) reported petitions to the emperor;
b) Responsible for fireworks;
c) Knocked out royal debts;
d) Arranged games and entertainment.

What was the name of the official in pre-revolutionary Russia who headed the lower structural part of the institution?

a) Chairperson;

b) Head of the clerk;
c) Portfolio manager;

d) Cabinet chief.

In what institution of pre-revolutionary Russia did the kissing man sell?
a) In a tobacco shop;

b) In a bakery;
c) In a hairdressing salon;

d) In a pub.
(Seller in a drinking establishment, pub.)

Who in Russia at the end of the 18th century were called "Arkharovtsy"?
a) Police officers;

b) Firefighters;
c) Coachmen;

d) Gypsy.
(The nickname of the Russian police, named after N.P. Arkharov, the Moscow chief police chief. In a figurative sense, an Arkharovets is a desperate mischievous hooligan.) Whom in Russia were called coachmen until the end of the 19th century?

and) Excavators;
b) Workers' cemeteries;
c) Workers for patching roads;
d) Charioteers, coachmen on the post road.

In the 19th century, the Moscow mayor issued a decree in which he consolidated the phrase recommended to coachmen to replace abuse in the presence of ladies. We also use this phrase with success. What phrase did he recommend?
a) "Kreks, pex, fex";

b) "Shirley-myrli";

c) "Yolki-sticks";

d) "Byaki-buki".

What was the name of the estate associations of merchants in Russia before the revolution?
a) Guilds;

b) Colleges;

c) Partnerships;

d) Clans.
(Since 1775, the privileged guild merchants have been divided by capital into three guilds.)

How were merchants referred to in 19th century Russia?
a) "Your Reverend";

b) "Your degree";
c) "Your Highness";

d) "Your Excellency."

What professions successfully replaced doctors in the Middle Ages?
a) Blacksmiths;

b) Alchemists;
c) Barriers;

d) Tailors.

What did the repairmen do before?
a) Procurement of edible stocks;

b) Conducting audits;
c) Training of recruits;

d) Purchase of horses.
(Horse purchasing officer.)

The representative of what profession in post-revolutionary Russia was called "shkrab"?
a) Floor polisher;

b) Teacher;
c) Dishwasher;

d) Watchman.
(Shkrab - short for " shkolny slaveotnik ".)

What did the young lady do while working for Underwood?
a) Spun the steering wheel;

b) answered calls;
c) Pounded on the keys;

d) Scolded providers.
(This young lady was a typist, because Underwood is a typewriter.)

What was the name of the leader of the choir in ancient Greek tragedy?
a) Luminary;

b) Archon;
c) Chorion;

d) Harita.
(And now they call outstanding figures in any field. For example, luminaries of science.)

What was the name of the actor in the old days?
a) Hypocrite;

b) Lyceum student;
c) Lyceum;

d) The accuser.

Whom did retouchers help before?
a) Firefighters;

b) Composers;
c) Photographers;

d) Hairdressers.
(They could, at the request of the client, improve the photo - correct the oval of the face or paint over wrinkles. Or they could paint the photo with watercolors. Now this work is performed by special computer programs.)

Funny questions for knowledge of proverbs and catchphrases about professions

With the development of technological progress in many professions, the need has disappeared, because now they are being replaced by automated devices and a variety of gadgets. But in the last century, these professions were very useful and in demand. For example, in Russia, in order to earn their bread, our ancestors thrashed the swamp slurry with a stick, yelled at the top of their lungs at funerals and weddings, and also dug in the garbage in search of profit.

Turnip spitters

Leech catchers

They spent their working hours hitting the swamp slurry with a stick - they imitated the entry of cattle into the water. The foolish leeches mistook it for the sound of the dinner gong and rushed to their meal. They were also lured to live bait, in the role of which the catcher himself acted: he went above the knees into the water and his legs were immediately covered with blood-sucking ones. It was then that they were collected. True, not always and not all. So, it was forbidden to catch leeches during breeding - in May, June and July. Also, “when fishing, only those fit for medical use must be selected, that is, at least 1 1/2 inches of length; small leeches, as well as too thick, should be thrown back into the water when fishing. The prey should be stored in the chill, in a container filled with earth.

Tail manufacturers

A similar story, according to some sources, seems to have happened also in the Vologda province - albeit earlier. There, on April 1, 1840, the wolf-tails hearing began. This was also preceded by an invasion of wolves and the promised reward for each tail - 1 kopeck. copper (a pood of rye flour then cost 50 kopecks). When the number of wolves practically disappeared, the peasants, accustomed to additional income, became sad and found a way out - they began to make wolf tails from hemp. A whole production arose: some made rods, others attached hemp, others combed, and others painted. As a result, they reached almost complete naturalism. The governor himself was in the share, and therefore the tailors worked quietly until the benefactor retired.

Screams

Rag pickers, crocheters

An Austrian hotel has opened a vacancy for a jester, the Associated Press reports. Applicants for this position need to have a good imagination, creativity and the ability to play musical instruments. In this regard, we decided to recall the 7 most wonderful Russian professions that can be reborn again.

A real Rusich could always prove himself. Moreover, not only in battle and at a feast. Even wearing a woman's skirt, finding a mammoth killed by someone else, counting cats or deceiving bees, he could earn honor and respect.

The etymology of this word is still not known, but historians are inclined towards the Byzantine origin - from "skommarch" - to make funny things. From the clowns of the "golden city" our buffoons adopted, first of all, a nomadic way of life, and the repertoire was full of Russian originality. Slaps and accusations fell on them from all sides - the authorities did not like them for jokes and strong words addressed to them, and the clergy did not call them anything other than demons. The artists wore short-brimmed caftans - this was already considered a sin, they did not shy away from shameful songs and stories, but on the contrary, they put on masks, frightening impressionable citizens. There was also a separate caste of city jesters - puppeteers. To show the performance, they put on a skirt with a hoop in the hem and lifted it up above their head, and dress a man women's clothing and was completely indecent.

Ivan the Terrible loved buffoons. Often he even disguised himself as a pea jester and took part in dances. It is no coincidence that the disgraced Archbishop Pimen was dressed up by him in a buffoonish suit and, with a tambourine in his hands, was sent away on a donkey.

Bubnodels. For whom does the tambourine sound?

Now tambourines are even produced by Microsoft for highly advanced system administrators. And before ... A tambourine in Russia was called any instrument in which sound is produced with the help of tightly stretched leather - so some tambourines were not even tambourines at all, but drums. Musicians on this noisy instrument were appreciated in military affairs. To escort the troops, huge alarm bells were made - each carried several horses, and 4 people beat it at once. Therefore, good boobnodels have always been heard - suddenly they will be needed for state affairs. The master had to competently work with both leather and wood. For the rim, birch was best of all - a plate from it had to be soaked for a week before being wrapped in a ring. The skin of an animal, usually livestock, was processed for a long time. Having overdried or decayed raw materials, the master risked making a far from melodic instrument.

Cat dog, cat dog. Who is hitting?

Now the army of "green" would have bitten this man with its teeth. And before people lived more practical. A dog or a cat has become old - why not replace it with a small, but useful thing in the household? So such a peasant drove around the villages with impunity, offering all sorts of little things in exchange for Zhuchek and Murok. If you came across a village entirely consisting of pet lovers, the cat-dog could steal the gape of the animal. Cheap hammer (cat) and guard (dog) fur was used for sewing clothes. There is a well-known proverb, which was supposedly repeated by this hustler, doing the dirty part of his job: "I am not hitting - the owner beats!"

Bortniki. Correct honey

The fact that "W-w-w!" it happens for a reason, people understood for a long time. Honey has always been both a delicacy and a medicine. Only not all were eager to climb into the hollow to the bees. And those who agreed soon became a separate profession. Hunters for wild honey had to not only know the forest and notice all sorts of little things, but also climb trees well - the hollows where the swarm settled could be at an impressive height. Well, then someone realized that, in fact, you can slip a piece of log with a hollowed out hole into the bees, and you don’t need to look. This log was called "bort", hence the name of the profession. Having made this first "hive", the master put his mark on it, claiming the contents as his property. The thieves were fiercely hated, the honey thief caught at a strange side risked forever remaining in the forest.

Catal. Come on more fashionable!

These masters were especially appreciated in the North, where there was simply no life without felt boots. This winter footwear has long been called kataniks. Despite the fact that there are many funny ditties about felt boots, the manufacturer's work was considered hard and harmful. They had to work in stuffiness and dampness. Sheep wool was cleaned of dirt and grass, laid out and "beaten". Previously, they simply beat with a stick, then with a low-hanging string. It was pulled like a bowstring and released. Wool broke "to smithereens" - from here, by the way, this expression went. Then "down and dust" was laid out in the form of the letter "T", swept away and boiled. Now this is called wet felting. There was also a fashion. Some preferred felt boots with a very high, narrow bootleg, others shorter and wider. Only a super professional catalist could do it exactly "on the leg".

Bone cutters. Why does a fish need a tooth?

"A fish's tooth is dear, the cutouts are tricky, and only an ant can go through the cutout." The necromagic charm of bones did not leave our ancestors indifferent. The great dukes willingly used cups made from enemy skulls - well, before the adoption of Christianity, of course. After they switched to less provocative material - tubular cow bones, walrus tusks - the notorious fish teeth. And, and if anyone was lucky enough to find the fossil remains of mammoths with huge tusks, then they were used. This business demanded great patience and remarkable talent. Over time, this craft became a small-town - several areas were distinguished, famous for their products. Catherine I was very fond of the coffers of the Kholmogory people, she also kept two images carved from bone - in gold and silver frames. The craftsmen skillfully adapted to the requirements of the buyer. Under Peter I, they quickly learned how to make fancy things: miniature playing cards, powder boxes, tiny chess pieces, fly boxes and even carved shoes. Cinderella would die of envy!

Beasts. Beasts at court

Hunting has always been one of the main male pastimes. But the leader should not allow those close to him to whisper: “Akela missed!”, Therefore, the beast should have been poisoned wisely. These "minds" were called brutes. They had to choose the right place and time, and then, as if by chance, drive the game directly onto the right person... Sometimes for this it was necessary to live for a long time in the forest, observing its laws.

However, later this knowledge came in handy in an unexpected way. Russian tsars suddenly began to plant zoos. It's just that sometimes overseas guests gave various wonders - lions, leopards, elephants, peacocks. But in our climate they needed special conditions and care. It was then that they remembered the brutes who could “smell the soul” of the animal. So the amazing creatures were saved, and the workers lived comfortably, combining the duties of providing for hunts and keepers of menageries.

Ancient crafts of Russia. What kind of crafts developed in Kievan Rus? Forgotten professions of ancient Russia Ancient professions in Russia

Turnip spitters

Leech catchers

Tail manufacturers

Screams

Rag pickers, crocheters

Turnip spitters

Leech catchers

Tail manufacturers

Screams

Rag pickers, crocheters

The last

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