Researchers suppose they belonged to an ancient civilization that appeared long before the Slavic population. Experts call these tribes Ryazan-Okski and attribute them to the Volga-Finnish branch of Finno-Ugric peoples.
Initially the archeologists thought the tribes had come here from the East. However the traces of material culture of Ryazan-Okski tribes are indicative of their relation to the German tribes of Goths. This likeness can be found both in details of national costume and their weapons.
Besides, the researchers managed to establish that heads of Ryazan-Okski tribes had worn crowns of almost the same type as Gothic kings. On the assumption of this one can assume that the local tribes were in a military alliance with the Goths.
Till date it is not clear what happened to the Ryazan-Okski civilization. Once it just disappeared, and yet, its traces long remained in the history of Ryazan.
Source: Russia-InfoCentre