The publication presents a new concept for the development of medieval society, connecting the problems of social and cultural history. It is interdisciplinary in nature and covers the problems and methods of studying various areas of humanitarian knowledge. To prepare this collective work, the efforts of prominent domestic (E.M. Meletinsky, S.S. Averintsev, M.L. Gasparov) and foreign (J. Le Goff, P. Dinzelbacher. J.-K. Schmitt) specialists.