ABSTRACT
From extensive archaeological and historical data it is evident that wood was used for almost every type of structure in Russia until well into the eighteenth century. By virtue of their settlement within a vast forested zone, Russians were aware of the strength of wood, which they used for every building purpose, from churches and dwellings to fortifications. Fire and decay, however, have long since destroyed the work of early medieval Russian carpenters. The oldest examples of Russian wooden architecture are churches, which were used more carefully than houses, and which could last for centuries, provided rotting logs were promptly replaced and the roof properly maintained. Indeed, the earliest known log building is the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus, tentatively dated to the late fourteenth century and now preserved on Kizhi Island in Lake Onega. However, extant log structures earlier than the eighteenth century are very rare in Russia.
