On March 27, the National Museum of Ukrainian History hosted a presentation of a unique relief depicting Saint Demetrius dating back to the era of Kyivan Rus. This archaeological artifact was rescued from illegal sale and returned to the state.
The event was attended by the Acting Minister of Culture and Information Policy, Rostyslav Karandeev, and the Prosecutor General, Andriy Kostin.
"We face many challenges, not only related to the war. We are losing objects not only due to natural factors – they are being destroyed, exported, stolen. Unfortunately, this is not only done by the aggressor state in the occupied territories: some citizens of Ukraine disregard laws and civic duty, depriving the whole nation of its historical past and heritage, which is the foundation for shaping our cultural base, for the sake of personal gain. However, today we have witnessed justice prevailing: thanks to successful cooperation between museum professionals and law enforcement officers, a unique artifact has returned home," said Rostyslav Karandeev.
The Prosecutor General congratulated Ukrainians on the recovery of the discovery and called on cultural industry professionals and civil society to contact law enforcement agencies and the prosecutor's office and report crimes against cultural objects.
"To date, over 900 monuments have been destroyed or damaged as a result of enemy actions. Prosecutors are overseeing 60 criminal proceedings related to war crimes against cultural heritage. At the same time, we are intensifying efforts to protect cultural and historical values from other types of crimes. Over the past three years, the National Police and the Security Service of Ukraine have investigated over 300 crimes related to the theft, illegal trade, and smuggling of artifacts," noted Andriy Kostin.
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The speakers thanked the employees of the Museum and law enforcement officers, including the Lutsk District Prosecutor's Office, for rescuing the heritage.
The presented artifact is a 60 kg stone plaque that adorned the facade of an unknown stone church built within the Galician-Volyn Principality in the second half of the 12th to the first half of the 13th century.
"This is a unique artifact. It testifies to the existence of a stone church from the era of Kyivan Rus, which has not survived to our time. This piece of art depicts Saint Demetrius, who was revered in Greece, Bulgaria, and in Rus, so the plaque was carved by a local master," noted Fedir Androshchuk, the Director-General of the National Museum of Ukrainian History.
Currently, the National Museum of Ukrainian History houses around 9,000 archaeological items that have been transferred to it as part of various criminal investigations. These artifacts exceed significantly the number received by the museum over the past 40 years.
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The tracking of the stone plaque, which experts saw on an online auction, lasted for two years. Eventually, the Lutsk District Prosecutor's Office in the Volyn region halted the sale of the artifact. Pre-trial investigation was conducted by the Lutsk District Police Department of the National Police in the Volyn region.
Currently, procedural guidance is underway in a criminal case regarding the illegal appropriation by an individual of found or accidentally acquired property or treasure with special historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural value (Part 1 of Article 193 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
