Sozh
Encyclopedia
Sozh is an international river flowing in Belarus
, Russia
and Ukraine
. It is a left bank tributary
of the Dnieper River. Sozh passes through Gomel, the second largest city in Belarus.
The river is crossed by the Sozh Floating Bridge
at Korma
and an elegant steel arch at Gomel, which is featured on a national stamp of 300 ruble
value.
and Finnic
etymologies considered unsatisfactory, Vadim Andreevich Zhuchkevich proposed that the name is derived from Old Russian/Old Belarusian sozhzh (сожжь) 'burned parts of a forest prepared for plowing,' which has parallels to other place names.
The Sozh River rises in Russia and is mostly snow fed. The river remains frozen between November and early January. The ice thaws from late March or April. Pronia, on the right, and the Oster
, Besed’, and Iput’, on the left are its main tributaries. It is one of the six tributaries longer than 500 km which join the Dnieper River
– the third longest river (2,201 km) in Europe.
The river is provided with navigational locks
in its upper reaches where it is navigable from Krichev
. Timber is floated along the river.
The mouth of the river is very broad (about 10 km) and swampy. The catchment area of the river is 42100 square kilometres (16,254.9 sq mi) along its 648 kilometres (402.6 mi) length. The mean discharge recorded at Gomel, 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) upstream from the mouth, is 207 m3/s.
Important historical towns on the banks of main river and its tributaries are: Krichev
, Cherikov, Slavgorod
, Gomel and Vetka.
. Gomel, a river port and a railhead, is also known as Homyel or Homiel. It is situated to the southeast of Belarus, and is the capital (administrative centre) of the Homyel Oblast. It is located on the western bank of the Sozh River, about 300 km from Minsk
, and close to the border with Russia and Ukraine. The earliest reported occupation of the town was in 1142, under Kievan Rus. This was followed by Lithuania
n control in 1537, then Polish
under the Treaty of Andrusov, and later under Russia
in 1772. Embankments were built on the banks of the Sozh River . As a result, "a unique nature-architecture ensemble grew on the high picturesque bank of the Sozh River right in the historical center of Gomel." These monuments are credited to the Rumyantsevs and the Paskeviches who were statesmen and military commanders of the Russian Empire. The town is now an important industrial center with a population of about half million. Located in the region of the Chernobyl disaster
, Gomel and its surrounding area still suffers from subsisting levels of radiation.
Vetka
is a small town, 22 kilometres (13.7 mi) northeast of Gomel, surrounded by forest and marshy land. It was gutted twice by invading Tsarist forces in 1735 and 1764 which forced the residents to resettle in Eastern Russia
. It was renowned for the unique icon style paintings and also wood carvings. It was annexed by the Russian Empire
, in 1852. Ships were manufactured here from 1840. During World War II
, the town was occupied by the Nazis who killed many of the resident. Vetka, on the Sozh River, is located in an area radioactively polluted as a result of the Chernobyl disaster
that occurred on April 26, 1986. High radiation levels due to iodine-131
(20,000 kBq/m²) and strontium-90
(137 kBq/m²) were measured in the soil in the entire Vetka district after the accident. This disaster also resulted in a large-scale relocation of population. A Folk Art Museum, founded in 1987, has exhibits depicting the ancient artifacts, carved wooden entrance doors, manuscripts, traditional costumes and woven rushniki.
Anthropomorphized forms of Russian myths include tales of rivalry between the Sozh, described as wild and turbulent, and the Dnepr, which is described as quiet and leisurely.
Archaeological excavations
Excavations have unearthed a Palaeolithic boat in the soils of the Sozh River, which has been preserved in the Museum of Ancient Belarusian Culture. The remains of pantheist temples were excavated in the mounds of Tushemlia and Gorodok
on the Sozh River and dated to the 3rd and 4th centuries. These temples have been inferred as temples erected by Balts
for worship of gods and goddesses. Through the end of the 14th century, during the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
period, pantheistic religion
was prevalent in the region. Another Palaeolithic site, discovered by Konstantin Mikhailovich Polikarpovich, is located on the hill above the bank of Sozh river, in Berdizh village. Remains of woolly mammoth
have also been found along the Sozh River.
providing a supply of ground phosphate
to Krichev
and Klimovichi
rock plants. Phosphorite
is found along the river between Mstislavl and Krichev. Many other construction materials, such as chalk, clay, sand, and gravel are also distributed in the river region as are many mineral water springs. The Sozh is one of the two chief rivers of Mogilev
in the Smolensk Oblast where the trade in the early part of the 20th century, involving primarily paper, oil, wire nails, flour, glass, and matches, was predominantly in the hands of the large Jewish population.
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. It is a left bank tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Dnieper River. Sozh passes through Gomel, the second largest city in Belarus.
The river is crossed by the Sozh Floating Bridge
Sozh Floating Bridge
The Sozh Floating Bridge is a pontoon bridge spanning the Sozh River at Korma, Belarus. It was built in 2003-2004, and caries light automobile traffic....
at Korma
Korma
Korma is a dish originating in South Asia or Central Asia which can be made with yoghurt, cream, nut and seed pastes or coconut milk; it is usually considered a type of curry...
and an elegant steel arch at Gomel, which is featured on a national stamp of 300 ruble
Belarusian ruble
The ruble is the currency of Belarus. The symbol for the ruble is Br and the ISO 4217 code is BYR.-First ruble, 1992–2000:The breakup of supply chain in the former Soviet enterprises demanded that goods be bought and sold on the market, often requiring cash settlement...
value.
Etymology
The original name was Sozh' , from Old East Slavic Съжь. With the previously suggested BalticBaltic languages
The Baltic languages are a group of related languages belonging to the Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family and spoken mainly in areas extending east and southeast of the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe...
and Finnic
Finnic languages
The term Finnic languages often means the Baltic-Finnic languages, an undisputed branch of the Uralic languages. However, it is also commonly used to mean the Finno-Permic languages, a hypothetical intermediate branch that includes Baltic Finnic, or the more disputed Finno-Volgaic languages....
etymologies considered unsatisfactory, Vadim Andreevich Zhuchkevich proposed that the name is derived from Old Russian/Old Belarusian sozhzh (сожжь) 'burned parts of a forest prepared for plowing,' which has parallels to other place names.
Geography
Oster
Oster is a city located where the Oster River flows into the Desna in Chernihiv Oblast of Ukraine. As of January 1, 2005, its population is 7,100....
, Besed’, and Iput’, on the left are its main tributaries. It is one of the six tributaries longer than 500 km which join the Dnieper River
Dnieper River
The Dnieper River is one of the major rivers of Europe that flows from Russia, through Belarus and Ukraine, to the Black Sea.The total length is and has a drainage basin of .The river is noted for its dams and hydroelectric stations...
– the third longest river (2,201 km) in Europe.
The river is provided with navigational locks
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
in its upper reaches where it is navigable from Krichev
Krichev
Krychaw or Krichev is a city in the eastern Belarusian Mahilyow Voblast. Krychaw is the administrative center of the Krychaw Raion. It is located on the Sozh River .Krychaw was first mentioned in 1136.-External links:* 36...
. Timber is floated along the river.
The mouth of the river is very broad (about 10 km) and swampy. The catchment area of the river is 42100 square kilometres (16,254.9 sq mi) along its 648 kilometres (402.6 mi) length. The mean discharge recorded at Gomel, 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) upstream from the mouth, is 207 m3/s.
Important historical towns on the banks of main river and its tributaries are: Krichev
Krichev
Krychaw or Krichev is a city in the eastern Belarusian Mahilyow Voblast. Krychaw is the administrative center of the Krychaw Raion. It is located on the Sozh River .Krychaw was first mentioned in 1136.-External links:* 36...
, Cherikov, Slavgorod
Slavgorod
Slavgorod is a town in Altai Krai, Russia, located between Lake Sekachi and Lake Bolshoye Yarovoye. Population: 48,000 .During the Cold War it was the site of Slavgorod air base....
, Gomel and Vetka.
History
Many of the cities and towns located in the river valley are part of the river's history of events. Several centuries ago, Radimichi tribal people lived in the Sozh River basin and established the Gomel town. They were involved in agricultural practices, rearing cattle, fishing and honey collection. They were craftsmen, and they were good tradesman as the river provided navigation to the northwestern and southeastern parts of EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Gomel, a river port and a railhead, is also known as Homyel or Homiel. It is situated to the southeast of Belarus, and is the capital (administrative centre) of the Homyel Oblast. It is located on the western bank of the Sozh River, about 300 km from Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
, and close to the border with Russia and Ukraine. The earliest reported occupation of the town was in 1142, under Kievan Rus. This was followed by Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n control in 1537, then Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
under the Treaty of Andrusov, and later under Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in 1772. Embankments were built on the banks of the Sozh River . As a result, "a unique nature-architecture ensemble grew on the high picturesque bank of the Sozh River right in the historical center of Gomel." These monuments are credited to the Rumyantsevs and the Paskeviches who were statesmen and military commanders of the Russian Empire. The town is now an important industrial center with a population of about half million. Located in the region of the Chernobyl disaster
Chernobyl disaster
The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine , which was under the direct jurisdiction of the central authorities in Moscow...
, Gomel and its surrounding area still suffers from subsisting levels of radiation.
Vetka
Vetka
Vetka is a small, historical town in Belarus, situated on the bank of the Sozh River.It is the principal centre in Vetka Raion in Gomel Region....
is a small town, 22 kilometres (13.7 mi) northeast of Gomel, surrounded by forest and marshy land. It was gutted twice by invading Tsarist forces in 1735 and 1764 which forced the residents to resettle in Eastern Russia
Eastern Russia
Eastern Russia may refer to:*Siberia*Russian Far East...
. It was renowned for the unique icon style paintings and also wood carvings. It was annexed by the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, in 1852. Ships were manufactured here from 1840. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the town was occupied by the Nazis who killed many of the resident. Vetka, on the Sozh River, is located in an area radioactively polluted as a result of the Chernobyl disaster
Chernobyl disaster
The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine , which was under the direct jurisdiction of the central authorities in Moscow...
that occurred on April 26, 1986. High radiation levels due to iodine-131
Iodine-131
Iodine-131 , also called radioiodine , is an important radioisotope of iodine. It has a radioactive decay half-life of about eight days. Its uses are mostly medical and pharmaceutical...
(20,000 kBq/m²) and strontium-90
Strontium-90
Strontium-90 is a radioactive isotope of strontium, with a half-life of 28.8 years.-Radioactivity:Natural strontium is nonradioactive and nontoxic, but 90Sr is a radioactivity hazard...
(137 kBq/m²) were measured in the soil in the entire Vetka district after the accident. This disaster also resulted in a large-scale relocation of population. A Folk Art Museum, founded in 1987, has exhibits depicting the ancient artifacts, carved wooden entrance doors, manuscripts, traditional costumes and woven rushniki.
Anthropomorphized forms of Russian myths include tales of rivalry between the Sozh, described as wild and turbulent, and the Dnepr, which is described as quiet and leisurely.
Archaeological excavations
Excavations have unearthed a Palaeolithic boat in the soils of the Sozh River, which has been preserved in the Museum of Ancient Belarusian Culture. The remains of pantheist temples were excavated in the mounds of Tushemlia and Gorodok
Gorodok
Gorodok may refer to:*Gorodok, alternative name of Haradok, Belarus*Gorodok, Russia, name of several inhabited localities in Russia-See also:*Horodok *Bely Gorodok, an urban-type settlement in Tver Oblast...
on the Sozh River and dated to the 3rd and 4th centuries. These temples have been inferred as temples erected by Balts
Balts
The Balts or Baltic peoples , defined as speakers of one of the Baltic languages, a branch of the Indo-European language family, are descended from a group of Indo-European tribes who settled the area between the Jutland peninsula in the west and Moscow, Oka and Volga rivers basins in the east...
for worship of gods and goddesses. Through the end of the 14th century, during the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
period, pantheistic religion
Pantheism
Pantheism is the view that the Universe and God are identical. Pantheists thus do not believe in a personal, anthropomorphic or creator god. The word derives from the Greek meaning "all" and the Greek meaning "God". As such, Pantheism denotes the idea that "God" is best seen as a process of...
was prevalent in the region. Another Palaeolithic site, discovered by Konstantin Mikhailovich Polikarpovich, is located on the hill above the bank of Sozh river, in Berdizh village. Remains of woolly mammoth
Woolly mammoth
The woolly mammoth , also called the tundra mammoth, is a species of mammoth. This animal is known from bones and frozen carcasses from northern North America and northern Eurasia with the best preserved carcasses in Siberia...
have also been found along the Sozh River.
Economy
Sozh River deposits that extend into Smolensk OblastSmolensk Oblast
Smolensk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its area is . Population: -Geography:The administrative center of Smolensk Oblast is the city of Smolensk. Other ancient towns include Vyazma and Dorogobuzh....
providing a supply of ground phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
to Krichev
Krichev
Krychaw or Krichev is a city in the eastern Belarusian Mahilyow Voblast. Krychaw is the administrative center of the Krychaw Raion. It is located on the Sozh River .Krychaw was first mentioned in 1136.-External links:* 36...
and Klimovichi
Klimovichi
Klimavichy is a city in the eastern Belarusian Mahilyow Voblast. Klimavichy is located east of Mahilyow on the bank of Kalinica River and is the administrative center of the Klimavichy Raion since 1924....
rock plants. Phosphorite
Phosphorite
Phosphorite, phosphate rock or rock phosphate is a non-detrital sedimentary rock which contains high amounts of phosphate bearing minerals. The phosphate content of phosphorite is at least 15 to 20% which is a large enrichment over the typical sedimentary rock content of less than 0.2%...
is found along the river between Mstislavl and Krichev. Many other construction materials, such as chalk, clay, sand, and gravel are also distributed in the river region as are many mineral water springs. The Sozh is one of the two chief rivers of Mogilev
Mogilev
Mogilev is a city in eastern Belarus, about 76 km from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and 105 km from the border with Russia's Bryansk Oblast. It has more than 367,788 inhabitants...
in the Smolensk Oblast where the trade in the early part of the 20th century, involving primarily paper, oil, wire nails, flour, glass, and matches, was predominantly in the hands of the large Jewish population.