Ukraine became a sovereign state in 1991 and marked the 20th anniversary of its independence in 2011. Ukraine and Japan in 2012 celebrated 20 years of diplomatic relations, which are expected to go from strength to strength.

This exhibition, drawn from the distinguished collections of the National Historical Museum of Ukraine and its affiliated Museum of Historical Treasures of Ukraine, explored the cultural richness of Ukraine between the 8th century BCE and 19th century CE. Composed of archeological artifacts that attest to Ukraine’s rich ethnic and tribal diversity, the exhibition offered a rare, valuable survey of the eventful history of Ukraine up to its early modern era.

Ukraine has been home to multiple ethnic groups and tribes. Its land can be classified into two distinct biomes: the wooded grasslands of the north, and the grasslands of the south. Major rivers with large discharge (Dnieper, Southern Bug, and Dniester) flow from north to south, serving as natural arteries that connect the two environmentally and historically distinct geographical regions. Over time, the coastal areas of the Black Sea became a unique melting pot of the diverse cultural traditions of the indigenous peoples, the nomadic tribes of the grasslands, and the Mediterranean civilizations. This unique, enduring condition had a significant impact on the historical development of the region as a whole. This exhibition presented a chronologically-arranged survey of the distinctive cultures of the Cimmerians, Scythians, Sarmatians, the Greek city-states of the Black Sea coast, medieval nomadic peoples, and the Kievan Rus' that flourished in this region.

Exhibits :

• More than 200 excavations (Harness, Jewelry, Ceramic, etc.)

Catalogue texts :

• Sergii Chaikovskyi
• Toshio Hayashi

Lenders :

• National Historical Museum of Ukraine
• Museum of Historical Treasures of Ukraine
  

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left : Gorytus cover.
4c.BC. (Scythians.)
Melitopolskyi burial mound. t. Melitopol, Zaporizhia Oblast.
470x275mm.

right : Pectoral (replica).
4c.BC. (Scythians.)
Tovsta Mogila burial mound. t. Ordzhonikidze, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
306mm in diameter.

National Historical Museum of Ukraine
Museum of Historical Treasures of Ukraine