Trypillia: so far and yet so close
Dedicated to Vikentii Cheslav Khvoika, founder and pioneer of Ukrainian archeology. We mark the 160th anniversary of his birth in February, 2010
Kyiv – There are moments when life can be deeply affected by a book, a twist of fortune, or an encounter with an interesting person. I have also once experienced such a “stroke of fate” – it was when I met Liudmyla Smoliakova, Ukraine’s first folk master and expert in reconstruction of Trypillian ceramics. I was enthralled by the exquisite feminine statuettes, skillfully restored, seated on their bull calves like thrones; by the ritual vessels shaped like binoculars; by the huge pots for storing grain, the figurines of animals, replicas of two-storied buildings, ancient furnaces, and a great many other things. The most mysterious were the ornaments decorating all those artifacts, they were absolutely unique and charged with a great semantic implication.
As it turned out, modeling is not just about free interpretation. It is rather the result of the Master’s participation in archaeological excavations, cooperation with historians, a serious scientific approach to each artifact, and the method of decorating. Generally speaking, the Trypillian ornaments decorating the earthenware and clothes are so profound and enigmatic, and carry so much information, that they deserve to be the subject of a separate description.
For instance, the image of the snake, the guardian of the home, can tell us a lot about active forces, both positive and negative, ruling the world. There is a wealth of such symbols, surviving until today in traditional tales, embroidery, Easter eggs, and even in the construction of country clay huts.
Trypillian culture was first discovered in the late 19th century by a Czech, Vikentii Khvoika, following the excavations at the village of Trypillia near Kyiv. Nowadays there are two museums in Trypillia, whose expositions are exclusively dedicated to the artifacts from excavations in various regions of Ukraine.
Unfortunately, in Kyiv one can only learn about the Trypillian civilization at the National Museum of History of Ukraine. You will perhaps agree that for the capital of Ukraine this is far too little.
The Trypillian period is studied by scholars and archeologists both in this country and abroad, and a number of books on the subject have been published. However, in my opinion, this is limited to somewhat dry and specialized science. The vast majority of Ukrainians, from school students to elderly people, do not know anything of their country’s ancient history.
I have always wondered why the official history of Ukraine starts from the times of the Kyivan Rus’. What happened here before Christ’s birth? All nations are searching for their roots. Ukraine is no exception and for a hundred years now historians have been trying to find the answers to this question.
However, it turns out that conveying the history of the Trypillian civilization to people of Ukraine requires nothing less than a struggle. One encounters inertia and indifference, and at times has to fight against windmills.
And yet I, and ordinary Kyivan, believe that this is feasible and that Kyiv will have its own Center for Trypillian Culture that will be able to rival other museums. A lot of material has already been amassed, now it only waits to be put together and sorted out. Don’t we know enough about ancient farmers, grain-growers, potters, and builders? Who can help fix the situation? Why do I keep hearing from my acquaintances, real experts in this field, that today “the genre is in crisis?” What has changed? After all, the civilization in question is seven and a half thousand years old.
I still hope that a time will come when Ukraine will be able to take pride in its history, and notably that of its ancestors, the Trypillians.
