The Slavs (Ancient Peoples and Places, Vol. 74) by Marija Gimbutas

Assimilated into several East Slavic tribes or were the ancestors of them: the Volhynians, Drevlians, Polans, Dregoviches, and possibly Buzhans, eventually to become part of the Kievan Rus'. Dulebes ( Dulebi), ancestors of Ukrainians and Belarusians and part of Czechs.Southwestern group (roughly in a large part of the hypothesized region of Proto-Slavs origin).Western Russian group / Western Ruthenian group / Western Old East Slavs ('Russians' or 'Russian group' in the broad sense means Old East Slavic peoples, the common group from where modern ethnic groups or peoples of the Rusinians, Ukrainians, Belarusians and Russians descend and not only Russians in the narrow sense).Antes (common ancestors of the East Slavs some were also the ancestors of part of West Slavs and South Slavs).

Map 6: Maximum extent of European territory inhabited by the East Slavic tribes - predecessors of Kievan Rus', the first East Slavic state - in the 8th and 9th century. Sclaveni (ancestors of the South Slavs).Veneti (ancestors of the West Slavs some were also the ancestors of part of East Slavs and South Slavs).Antes (ancestors of the East Slavs some were also the ancestors of part of West Slavs and South Slavs).According to Marija Gimbutas, the people named 'Scythian Farmers', mentioned by Herodotus, were the Proto-Slavs or Early Slavs, who bordered and lived south of the Balts, and not Scythians.

Proto and Early Slavs, who were closely related to the Balts, were more influenced by the ancient Celts ( La Tène culture) and by the Scythians and Sarmatians ( Western Eurasian Steppe Iranian peoples from the northeast group who were nomads or seminomads). Proto-Slavs are mainly associated with Zarubintsy culture that had possible links to the ancient peoples of the Vistula basin ( Przeworsk culture). It is hypothesized that Proto-Slavs had their origin in western Ukraine - west of the Dnieper, east of the Vistula, south of the Pripyat Marshes and north of the Carpathian Mountains and the Dniester, to the northwest of the Pontic Eurasian Steppes and south of the Baltic peoples, especially West Baltic peoples, with whom they have common ancestors, the Balto-Slavs.

Veneti / Sporoi (common ancestors of all Slavs, Proto-Slavs, and the West Slavs with the same name).

Map 3: During the Migration Period in 5-6th century CE, the area of archeological cultures identified as Baltic and Slavic is becoming more fragmented.

The Slavs (Ancient Peoples and Places, Vol. 74) by Marija Gimbutas