Slayer

Slayer

Zhizhets is an ancient city mentioned in the List of Russian cities near and far . It is found in various sources also in the writing Zhizets, Zizhech or Zizhech. The ancient settlement Zizhets is located near the village of Zaluchye, Pskov region , on the northwestern shore of Lake Zizzycka .

The city appeared, apparently, in the XI century . Initially, he was part of the Principality of Smolensk and in 1136 paid a tribute to the Smolensk bishop in the amount of 130 hryvnias (for comparison, Toropets paid about 400 hryvnias). After some time, Zhizhets became the city of the Principality of Toropets , which separated from Smolensky. In 1245 , according to the annals, Prince Alexander Nevsky defeated Lithuanians near Zhizhets who made a trip to Russian lands. In the XIV century, together with Toropets was captured by the Lithuanians. In 1503, according to the results of the Annunciation Armistice, it was returned to the united Russian state and existed as a city for about a century. It was probably burned by Polish-Lithuanian detachments during the campaigns of Stephen Batory to the Pskov region or during the Time of Troubles . For some time only the graveyard of the Zhizysh (Zhizets) with a wooden church and three houses was preserved.

External Images
	Modern view of the hillfort

Zhizhets was located at the base of a narrow peninsula, protruding into the lake for 0.5 km. The narrow isthmus connecting it with the land did not allow making powerful fortifications. The upper oval area has dimensions of 70 × 50 m. Around the hill there was a vast unreinforced settlement-posad. During excavations, a cultural layer 1.1 m thick was discovered, where Old Russian products of the 11th – 14th centuries predominated - slate spindles , glass bracelets, a trapezoidal crest, stucco ceramics and iron products. The fortress was erected on the site of a deacon type settlement.