Textual variants in the Primary Chronicle manuscripts of the Kievan Rus' arise when a copyist makes deliberate or inadvertent alterations to the text that is being reproduced. Textual criticism (or textology) of the Primary Chronicle or Tale of Bygone Years (orv|Повѣсть времѧньныхъ лѣтъ|translit=Pověstĭ vremęnĭnyxŭ lětŭ, commonly abbreviated PVL) has included study of its textual variants.
Frequently used sigla (scribal symbols and abbreviations) of Primary Chronicle manuscripts and editions include:
| English name | Lat | Abr | Cyr | Slavic names | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Chronicle | A | Aka | А | ru|Академическая летопись|translit=Akademicheskaya letopis' uk|Академічний літопис|Akademichnyj litópys | |
| Hypatian Codex | H | Ipa Ipat | И | ru|Ипатьевская летопись|translit=Ipat'evskaya letopis' uk|Іпатіївський літопис|Ipátijivśkyj litópys | |
| Khlebnikov Codex Xlebnikov Codex | Kh X | Xle | Х | ru|Хлебниковский список|Hlebnikovskij spisok uk|Хлєбниковський список|Khljebnykovśkyj spysok | |
| Laurentian Codex | L | Lav | Л | ru|Лаврентьевский список|Lavrent'evskij spisok uk|Лаврентіївський список|Lavrentijivśkyj spysok | |
| Radziwiłł Chronicle | R | Rad | Р | ru|Радзивилловская летопись|Radzivillovskaya letopis' uk|Радзивіллівський літопис|Radzyvíllivśkyj litópys | |
| Trinity Chronicle | TL | Tro | Т | ru|Троицкая летопись|Troitskaya letopis' uk|Троїцький літопис|Trojitśkyj litópys |
| English name | Lat | Abr | Cyr | Slavic names | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novgorod First Chronicle | NPL N1L | Novg. I НIЛ | НПЛ Н1Л | ru|Новгородская первая летопись|Novgoródskaya pérvaya létopisʹ uk|Новгородський перший літопис|Novhorodśkyj pershyj litópys | |
| Synod Scroll Older Redaction | НПЛст | ru|Синодальный список|Sinodálʹnyy spispok ru|Старший извод|Starshij izvod | |||
| Novgorod First Chronicle of the Younger Redaction | NPLml | НПЛмл | ru|Новгородская первая летопись Младшего Извода|Novgoródskaya pérvaya létopis' Mladshego Izvoda | ||
| Commission Scroll | K | Kom | К | Kommissionyi | |
| Academy Scroll | Ak | NAca | НАк | Akademichenskyi | |
| Tolstoi Scroll | T | Tol Tols | Тол | Tolstovoi |
Note: Unlike the chapters and verses of the Bible used in biblical studies, textual criticism of the Primary Chronicle (PVL) employs notation by page and line. For example, a notation such as "3.2" refers to the "third (3rd) page, second (2nd) line".
0.1
orv|Се повѣсти времѧньных лѣт.{{sfn|Ostrowski|Birnbaum|2014|loc=0.1 – Lav Tro Byč Šax Lix
orv|повесть временных лѣтъ черноризца феѡдось<nowiki>|</nowiki>ева{{sfn|Ostrowski|Birnbaum|2014|loc=0.1 – Xle
orv|Временникъ, еже есть нарицается лЂтописание|Vremennyky, ezhe esty narictaetsya lЂtopisanie|Bygone years, which is the name of the chronicle|label=none – Novgorod First Chronicle Younger Redaction
0.2
orv|манастыря печерьскаго,{{sfn|Ostrowski|Birnbaum|2014|loc=0.2 – Rad Aka Ipa Xle α
omitted – Lav Tro Byč Šax Lix
0.2–3
orv|ѿкуду есть пошла рускаꙗ земѧ. кто въ киевѣ нача первѣе кнѧ<жит>||regarding the origin of the land of Rus', the first princes of Kiev|label=none – Lav
orv|князеи и земля Руския|knyazej i zemlya Ruskiya|about the Rus' princes and land.|label=none – Novgorod First Chronicle Younger Redaction
0.3
orv|киевѣ нача{{sfn|Ostrowski|1981|p=28 – Lav Byč Šax Lix
orv|и како избра богъ страну нашу на послЂднЂе время, и грады почаша бывати по мЂстом, преже Новгородчкая Б волость и потом Кыевская, и о поставлении Киева, како во В имя назвася В Кыевъ.||and how God chose our country for the last time, and the cities began to be in their places, first in the Novgorodian volost and then the Kyevan, and of the rise of Kiev, which was called by the name of Kyevû.|label=none – Novgorod First Chronicle Younger Redaction
omitted – all other manuscripts, α
1.1
orv|се начнемъ повѣсть сию.|se načnemŭ pověstĭ siju.|let us begin this story.|label=none – Lav Tro Aka Ipa Byč Lix α
orv|Се начнемъ повѣсть сїю.|Se načnemŭ pověstĭ sīju.|Let us begin this story.|label=none – Xle
orv|се начн{{sup|м – Rad
orv|Се начьнѣмъ повѣсть сию.|Se načĭněmŭ pověstĭ siju.|Let us begin this story.|label=none – Šax
1.2
orv|трие сынове ноеви|trie synove noevi|the three sons of Noah|label=none – Tro Byč Lix
orv|.г҃.е сн҃ве ноеви|.g҃.e sn҃ve noevi|the 3 s[o]ns of Noah|label=none – Rad Aka α
orv|бо .г҃.е сн҃ве ноеви|bo .g҃.e sn҃ve noevi|for the 3 s[o]ns of Noah|label=none – Ipa
orv|оубо трїе с҃нове ноеви|ubo trīe sn҃ve Noevi|for the three sons of Noah|label=none – Xle
orv|убо трие сынове Ноеви|ubo trie synove Noevi|for the three sons of Noah|label=none – Šax
orv|первие с<нве> ноеви|pervie s<ive> noevi|(the) first s[ons] of Noah|label=none – Lav
1.3
See also: Shem, Ham and Japheth.
orv|симъ. хамъ. афетъ.|simŭ. xamŭ. afetŭ.|Simŭ, Xamŭ, Afetŭ.|label=none – Lav Tro Ipa Byč Šax Lix α
orv|с{{sup|м – Aka Rad (афетъ) Xle (и афе)
1.9
orv|елмаисъ. инди. равиꙗ. на всѧ.|elmaisŭ, indi, rabija na vsja|[[Elymais|Elmais]], Indi[a], all of [A]rabia.|label=none – Lav
orv|елмаисъ инди аравия силная колия комагини финикия вся|elmaisŭ indi arabija silnaja kolija finikija vsja|Elmais Indi[a] Arabia the Strong [[Coele-Syria|Kolija]] [[Commagene|Komagini]] all of [[Phoenicia|Phinicia]].|label=none – Tro
orv|елоумаисъ. инди. равиꙗ силнаа. коулїи. колгини. фикиа всѧ:-|elymaisŭ, indi, rabija silnaa, kulīi, kolgini, fikia vsja|[[Elymais]], Indi[a], [A]rabia the Stron[g], [[Coele-Syria|Kulīi]], Kolgini, all of Phicia.|label=none – Rad Aka (3 ї/и variations)
orv|елумаисъ. индиѧ. aравиа силнаꙗ. кулии. колгини. финикиꙗ всѧ|elymaisŭ, indija, arabija silnaja, kulii, kolgini, finikija vsja|[[Elymais]], India, Arabia the Strong, [[Coele-Syria|Kulii]], Kolgini, all of [[Phoenicia|Phinicia]].|label=none – Ipa
orv|елоумаись. индиѧ аравїа силнаа. коулии. комагины. финикїа всѧ.|elymaisŭ, indija arabīa silnaa, kulii, komaginy, finikīa vsja|[[Elymais]], India Arabia the Stron[g], [[Coele-Syria|Kulii]], [[Commagene|Komaginy]], all of [[Phoenicia|Phinicīa]].|label=none – Xle
3.8
orv|илурикъ|ilurikŭ|[[Illyricum (Roman province)|Illyricum]]|label=none – Rad Aka Ipa Xle Šax α
orv|илюрикъ|iljurikŭ|Illyricum|label=none – Lav Byč Lix
orv|люрикъ|ljurikŭ|Illyricum|label=none – Tro
grc|Ἰλλυρίς|Illyrís|of Illyria|label=none – George Hamartolos
See also Generations of Noah
3.8–3.9
grc|Ἰλλυρίς, ἡ Λυχνίτις, Ἀδριανή|Illyrís, he Lychnítis, Adriané|of Illyria, [[Lychnitis]], Adriane|label=none – George Hamartolos
orv|Илурикъ, Словѣне, Лухития, Анъдриакия|Ilurikŭ, Slověne, Luxnitija, Anŭdriakija|Illyricum, the Slavs, Lychnitia, Andriakia|label=none – α
4.12
orv|<св>еи. оурма<не> русь. агнѧне галичане|<sv>ei. urma<ne> rusĭ. agnjane galichane|<Sw]edes, Urma<ne> Rus', Agnjane, Galichane |label=none – Lav
orv|свѣе урмане готе русь ангняне галичане|svěi urmane gote rusĭ angnjane galichane|Swedes Urmane Gote Rus' Angnjane Galichane |label=none – Tro
orv|всеи оурмане галичанѣ|vsei urmane galichaně|all Urmane Galichane |label=none – Rad
orv|свеи. оурмане. галичане.|svei. urmane. galichane|Swedes, Urmane, Galichane |label=none – Aka
orv|свеи. оурмане. готѣ. русь. аглѧнѣ. галичанѣ.|svei. urmane. gotě. rusĭ. agljaně. galichaně|Swedes, Urmane, Gote, Rus', Agljane, Galichane. |label=none – Ipa
orv|свеи, оурмане. гте роу{{sup|c – Xle
The Urmane are usually interpreted as "Normans" or "Norsemen"; Gote as either "Goths" or "Gotlanders"; A(n)gnjane or Agljane as "Angles" / "English"; and Galichane as either "Galicians" (and thus translated as "Spaniards", see Galicia (Spain)), "Gauls" or "Welsh".
4.13
orv|волохове|voloxove|[[Vlachs]]{{sfn|Thuis|2015|p=8 – Tro Ipa Xle Šax α
orv|<волъ>хва|<volŭ>xva|Vlachs ''or'' Italians|label=none – Lav Byč Lix
omitted – Rad Aka
It is unclear what Volokhove (or Volŭkhva) means. Cross & Sherbowitz-Wetzor (1930, 1953) translated it as "Italians" (compare modern Polish Włochy "Italy" or "Italians"); but in 6.6 he rendered Волохомъ/Волхомъ/Волотомъ as Vlakhs. Lunt (1995) described the Volokhs as 'people speaking Latin or a Romance language.' Thuis (2015) translated both as "Vlachs", adding 'This is possibly a Celto-Romance people.'
4.13
orv|римляне|rimljane|Romans|label=none – Tro Byč Šax Lix α; (римлѧне) Lav Xle; (римлѧнѣ) Ipa
omitted – Rad Aka
5.22
orv|племени афетова. нар ци еже суть словѣне.|plemeni afetova, nar tsi ezhe sutĭ slověne.|the line of Afet, the Nartsi who are Slovenes.|label=none – Lav Byč Lix
orv|племени{{sup|ж – Rad
orv|племени же а҃фетова. нарицаемии норци еже сѹть словѣне.|plemeni zhe ahfetova, naritsaemii nortsi ezhe sutĭ slověne.|the line of Ahfet, called the Nortsi, who are Slovenes.|label=none – Aka
orv|племени же афетова. нарѣ<ц>аемѣи норци. иже сѹть словенѣ.|plemeni zhe afetova, narě<ts>aeměi nortsi, izhe sutĭ sloveně.|the line of Afet, called the Nortsi, who are Slovenes.|label=none – Ipa
The N- ethnonym is unclear. Cross & Sherbowitz-Wetzor (1930, 1953) rendered them as the Noricians, who are identical to the Slavs. Lunt (1995), noting that Lav and Rad 'have independent corruptions', translated Ipa/Xle/Aka as (those) called Norci, who are Slavs. He commented: 'These clauses do not fit together easily. (...) This rather odd sentence seems, then, to imply that the Norci are a sub-tribe of Slavs.' Thuis (2015) wrote the Noriks, who are Slavs, adding 'The inhabitants of the Roman province of Noricum along the Danube. Possibly, this is a reference to the purported Urheimat of the Slavic people.'
5.23–25 See also Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin § Second phase (900–902)
6.6–8 See also Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin § Second phase (900–902)
7.21–9.4 Journey of Andrew the Apostle along the Dnieper from Korsun via the future site of Kyiv towards the future site of Veliky Novgorod.
9.5–10.16
9.5–21 The legendary founding of Kiev (Kyiv)
9.17
orv|киевъ{{sfn|Ostrowski|Birnbaum|2014|loc=9.17 – Lav Tro Rad Ipa Byč Lix
orv|кыевь{{sfn|Ostrowski|Birnbaum|2014|loc=9.17 – Aka Xle Šax α
9.26–10.16 The acts of Kyi, and the death of the four siblings.
10.5
orv|приходившю ему ко цр҃ю. ꙗко<nowiki>|</nowiki>же сказають.|label=none