RYAZAN TOPONYMS MENTIONED IN THE RUSSIAN ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS
The article analyses the geographical names and denominations of the inhabitants of Ryazan land, mentioned in the Russian ancient manuscripts. Basing on the chronicle records, the author ascertains the time of the first fixation of the names, the frequency of using oikonyms, hydronyms and microtoponyms, as well as certain names (Ryazan, Pronsk, Pereyaslavl), the chronology of changing the name of the territory (Vyatichi to Ryazan) and the name of its inhabitants (Vyatichi to Ryazantsy). In the course of onomastic sampling, 66 Ryazan toponyms were revealed. The region itself was referred to as Vyatichi from the end of the XI till the beginning of the XIII century, as Ryazan land, Ryazan place, Ryazan - from the middle of the XII century. The substitution Vyatichi > Ryazantsy occurred before the second half of the XII century.