Walking along the western shore of the Penyagin Pond, one can reach a site where the archaeological and cultural heritage monument, the 4th Spas-Tushino Settlement, dating back to the 12th-13th centuries, is located.

This settlement was discovered in 1968 by E.N. Machulsky. On the right bank of the Barishikha River, researchers found a thick cultural layer rich in Slavic ceramics from the 11th-13th centuries. Detailed studies led by A.G. Veksler showed that most of the settlement was destroyed during the construction of the pond and dam. From what was once a vast settlement, only a small area measuring 170 by 80 meters remains, still holding the secrets of our ancestors' lives.

During the era of the Ancient Russian state, the Vyatichi, one of the East Slavic tribes, maintained notable differences from their neighbors. They formed a tribal union and inhabited the Upper Oka region in the 9th-11th centuries, controlling important trade routes between Europe and the East.

The Vyatichi lived in a clan structure, where the clan represented a group of relatives. The people's assembly elected a leader, called a prince, who commanded the army. The prince's power gradually became hereditary. The Vyatichi built log houses with small windows that were closed during the cold season.

The land of the Vyatichi was renowned for its wealth, abundance of game, birds, and fish. They led a semi-hunting, semi-agricultural lifestyle. Villages of 5-10 households were moved to new locations as the fields became exhausted. The Vyatichi also engaged in beekeeping and fishing, raised livestock, and harvested fodder with scythes.

The trade of the Vyatichi was lively. They had connections with the Arab world, Western Europe, and Byzantium, where they supplied furs, honey, and crafts, receiving silk fabrics and jewelry in return.

Archaeological excavations uncovered numerous craft workshops where iron was processed and jewelry was created. The Vyatichi reached a high level in jewelry making, second only to Kyiv in the number of found casting molds.

Ancient Russian sources use terms like "ves", "pogost", "selo", and "sloboda" to denote unfortified settlements, collectively referred to as "selišče". Such settlements were located near water bodies, occupied small areas, consisted of several households, and housed up to 50 people related by kinship.

The main types of buildings were above-ground log houses with stone stoves and semi-earth houses with clay stoves. The inhabitants of such settlements provided for themselves, and archaeologists often find traces of economic and craft buildings.