Hypatian Codex
The first written mention of Bryansk , as Debryansk, dates to 1146 in the Hypatian Codex. The name appears variously as , and in other spellings. Etymologically, it derives from "дъбръ", a Slavic word for "ditch", "lowland", or "dense woodland"; the area was known for its dense woods, of which very little remains today. Local authorities and archaeologists, however, believe that the town had existed as early as 985 as a fortified settlement on the right bank of the Desna River.