"The Norman theory has been developed, modified and changed by many prominent scholars. The theory asserts that Norsemen from Scandinavia accounted for Kievan society. Historians argue otherwise in that there is no direct evidence to point that out. Claims of Norman contributions to Russian law has suffered a fiasco. They also say that there is sound evidence for Norman influence on Kievan paganism. The proponents of the Norman theory accepted the verbatim that the Rus (Kievans) were a Scandinavian tribe or group. However, before long grava complications arose. A group called Rus could not be found in Scandinavia itself and were utterly unknown in the West....."- A HISTORY OF RUSSIA, Nicholas V. Riasanovsky