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The territory of Karelia began being inhabited after the Ice Age, e.i. in 7-6 millenium before Christ. Ancient population went hunting and fishing. In the first millenium A.D. the dwellers of Karelia were able to mine and process iron and began agriculturing and cattle breeding. The ethnic structure of the population has been known since the end of the first millenium A.D. By that time it consisted of Finno-Ugrian language group tribes: Korela, Sum, Ves and Saami (Pol). They inhabited Karelian isthmus and in the North of the Ladoga Lake (Korela), between the Ladoga and Onega lakes (Ves) and farther to the North (Saami). In the beginning of the 2nd millenium part of Karelians extended to the shores of the White Sea. At the same time the same territories were penetrated by the Slavs. They helped to develop agriculture, salt work and sea trades.

When in the 9th century the Ancient Russian State came into being 9its name was Kievan Rus) Karelia appeared to be under its influence. After Kievan Rus splitting and decaying in the 12th century Karelia became part of Novgorod Feudal Republic, but it preserved its independence till the end of the 13th century. First the tribe and then (since the 12-13th centuries) administrative center of Karelia was the town of Korela (now Priosersk of Leningrad district). In 1227 Karelians were baptized into Orthodox Denomination by the Novgorodsky Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. Ves also had been baptized.

From the history of Karelia | the most important historical dates and events