Ahmad ibn Rustah travels to Novgorod with…

Ahmad ibn Rustah travels to Novgorod with the Rus', and compiles books relating his own travels, as well as secondhand knowledge of the Khazars, Magyars, Slavs, Bulgars, and other peoples.

He writes of tenth-century city of the Rus': "As for the Rus, they live on an island … that takes three days to walk round and is covered with thick undergrowth and forests; … They harry the Slavs, using ships to reach them; they carry them off as slaves and … sell them.

They have no fields but simply live on what they get from the Slav's lands … When a son is born, the father will go up to the newborn baby, sword in hand; throwing it down, he says, 'I shall not leave you with any property: You have only what you can provide with this weapon.'"

His impression of the Rus' is very favorable: "They carry clean clothes and the men adorn themselves with bracelets and gold.

They treat their slaves well and also they carry exquisite clothes, because they put great effort in trade.

They have many towns.

They have a most friendly attitude towards foreigners and strangers who seek refuge."

This is in contrast to the account of Ibn Fadlan, whose views on hygiene (based on Islamic teachings on cleanliness and Islamic medical knowledge) contrast with that of the Rus'.

He noted that while the Rus' combed their hair and washed daily, they did so from the same bucket of water (which disgusted him personally).

Ibn Fadlan also notes that slaves were not mistreated by the Rus'.