Detinets or Dytynets is an ancient Rus' city-fort or central fortified part of a city, similar to the meaning of kremlin or citadel. The term was used in many regions, including: Kievan Rus', Chernihiv, Novgorod, and Kyiv.[1] [2] [3]
Old Russian manuscripts mention detinets in various places of Kievan Rus' since the end of the 11th century.[4] From the 13th to the 14th century, detinets were used only in the Russian Pskov-Novgorod region.[5]
The origin of the term is uncertain. Some derive it from the Old East Slavic word deti—"children", suggesting it was used to hide children and other less able people during a siege. Polish philologist Lucyjan Malinowski derives the similarly sounding Polish term Polish: dziedziniec–"courtyard", from detinets.[6]