In some variants of Belarusiphile
anti-normanist history, the city, and later principality of
Polotsk is linked to Krivichians, much like Kyiv is linked to
Polianians, however, based on most modern evidence, these were all likely linked to
Rus' people.[4]
Many historians suggest that the name of the tribe probably stems from that of their legendary forefather Kriv, possibly a
kniaz or a
voivode. According to
Max Vasmer, this
sobriquet was derived from the Slavic adjective krivoy ("crooked/twisted") due to some possible birth defect.
Jan Stankievič believed it was derived from the adjective kroŭ/kryvi ("blood"), hence, kryvič would mean "blood relationship".
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). By the end of the first millennium, the Krivichs had already had well-developed farming and cattle-breeding. Having settled around the
Trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks, the Krivichs traded with the
Varangians. Their chief tribal centres were
Gnezdovo,
Izborsk, and
Polotsk.
The Krivichs as a tribe took part in
Oleg's and
Igor's military campaigns against the Byzantine Empire. They are also mentioned in De Administrando Imperio as Krivitzoí (Κριβιτζοί).
Modern uses of the name
Today, in
Latvian, Krievs means "Russian" and Krievija is "Russia". Through Baltic territories, the word became known in Central Europe. For example, a German chronicler from
Duisburg wrote in 1314: "Frater Henricus Marschalcus... venit ad terram Crivitae, et civitatem illam, quae parva Nogardia dicitur cepit". And in a Polish publication Kazanie na Pogrzeb Maryanny Korsakywnej (
Lublin, 1687. Б. II, 49) the
Polotsk saint Paraxedis was called Regina Krivitae (the queen of the Kryvians).
Also in Latvian, a Belarusian is known as Baltkrievs, and Belarus is named Baltkrievija. The prefix balt- is from the Latvian word balts which means "white", thus Baltkrievija is cognate to "
White Russia" and "Belarus" itself.
Kryvich (Крывіч) was the name of a magazine that the Belarusian historian
Vaclau Lastouski published in
Kaunas from 1923 to 1927.