Quote Originally Posted by chukcha
I heard that there are two theories about the origins of slavic people: a normanist theory that is based on the Nestors chronicles and establishes the roots of Slavic people in Scandinavia and proto-Slavic theory which assumes that Slavic people are composed out of two peoples Venedes (proto-slavs) and slavs proper. The second theory is autochthonic in nature. I am more interested in the accounts on the second theory. I am curious if any of you guys have any interesting information relating to this topic.
Normanist theory explains not "origins of slavic people", but origins of *Russian state* (there's a lot of slavic peoples beyond Russia, remember?)
Anyway, this theory is a myth.

"Venedes" were only "proto-slavs"? And who were "vyatichi", "krivitchi", "drevlyane", etc., etc.?