In February of this year, the police seized the treasure after its illegal sale on an Internet forum. During this investigation, a "black archaeologist" was uncovered, who unearthed a rare archaeological find.
According to the investigation, the offender unearthed a silver belt on the territory of the Khmelnytskyi region. According to the conclusions of specialists from the National Museum of Ukraine, this find dates back to the mid-3rd century and is associated with the military culture of ancient Germanic tribes during a period when they migrated through the territory of present-day Ukraine from Northern Europe to the Black Sea.
Subsequently, the individual displayed the archaeological discovery on an Internet forum, where one of the participants of the discussion purchased the artifacts. As a result, the participants of this transaction engaged in the illegal misappropriation of the found treasure, which possesses special historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural value, thereby incurring legal responsibility under Articles 193 and 198 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Analogues of this ancient artifact are the most well-known exhibits in the main museums of Denmark and Sweden.
Museum experts conducted the attribution of the archaeological discovery and determined its authenticity and origin.
On August 8th, law enforcement officers handed over the artifact to the National Museum of the History of Ukraine for responsible safekeeping. This memorial piece will soon be showcased at the presented exhibition.