The Rus Primary Chronicle is the earliest written history of the East Slavs, recounting the rise of the land of Rus from its origins to the early twelfth century. It contains many of the most famous passages from the medieval Slavic past, including the “Invitation to the Varangians”, the journey of Princess Olga to Constantinople, and the mass baptism of Rus in 988. But where did these ancient stories come from? Who compiled them and when? What source materials did the first Kyivan scribes have at their disposal and how did they use them? In this talk, I shall attempt to demystify the making of the Rus Primary Chronicle and recount how generations of scholars have attempted to understand this notoriously difficult text.