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| | History (from Belarus) -- Britannica Concise Encyclopedia - The online encyclopedia you can trust! |
 | | The early Slavic tribesthe Dregovichi, Radimichi, Krivichi, and Drevlyanehad formed local principalities, such as those of Pinsk, Turaw (Russian: Turov), Polatsk (Polotsk), Slutsk, and Minsk, by the 8th to 9th century. |
 | | Trading settlements multiplied, and many of the towns of present-day Belarus were founded by the end of the 12th century. |
 | | Two of the earliest-mentioned towns of Slavic foundation, Polatsk and Turaw, first appear in historical documents in the years 862 and 980, respectively. |
| www.britannica.com /ebc/article-129466 (986 words) |
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