The exhibit explores Ukraine's deep cultural, agricultural, and historical roots through an impressive collection of maps, timelines, archaeological illustrations, and historical displays. Over the past 25 years, Mykola and Tamara have researched "with a primary emphasis on non-Ukrainian sources". There are more than 1,500 of them. Their exhibit has previously been displayed in Regina, Toronto, and Edmonton, and now it has made its way to Vegreville, Alberta.
One of the themes presented throughout the exhibit is the importance of Ukraine's historical legacy and how competing interpretations of that history continue to influence the modern conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The exhibit emphasizes that many aspects of the history of Kyivan Rus are frequently claimed by Russia as part of its own national story.
One of the most memorable quotations presented in the exhibit is the familiar comparison that Kyiv was already a thriving city when Moscow was still a forest.
The exhibit explains that the Dnipro River formed one of the great trade corridors of medieval Europe. Along its banks, north met south as Scandinavians, Slavs, Greeks, merchants, warriors, and peoples of the Eurasian steppe exchanged goods, ideas, and culture.
Arab geographers of the 9th and 10th centuries described Rus as a large and influential state, identifying one of its principal centres as Kuyaba, which most historians associate with Kyiv.
The exhibit further explains that the peoples already living in this region—including the Polans, Drevlians, Severians, and many other Slavic tribes—had developed their own settlements, trade networks, political alliances, and crafts. According to the exhibit, the state of Rus emerged along the banks of the Dnipro at this crossroads of commerce, cultures, and peoples.
A Personal Tour
One of the highlights of my visit was receiving a personal tour from Mykola himself. He guided a group of us through all 25 panels, explaining the research and historical context behind each one.
An added bonus is that every panel has been made available online. Although the text on the display panels is necessarily small, downloading the PDF and enlarging the images in Adobe Acrobat makes them easy to read. As someone who has always been fascinated by history, I know I will be spending many more hours studying them.
Marco Levytsky, Western Bureau Chief of New Pathway Ukrainian News, also wrote an excellent article about the exhibit when it was displayed at the Ukrainian National Federation Hall in Edmonton in March 2024.
Beginning 20,000 Years Ago
The first two panels serve as the cover and bibliography. The historical chronology then begins approximately 20,000 years ago with the legendary land of Aratta, described in Sumerian literature. The exhibit presents the interpretation that Aratta may have been located in present-day Ukraine, based in part on discoveries at the Kamyana Mohyla archaeological site in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. It should be noted that the location of Aratta remains a subject of scholarly debate, with other researchers placing it elsewhere, including in present-day Turkey.
The exhibit then moves into the Trypillia (Cucuteni–Trypillia) culture, which flourished in parts of present-day Ukraine between approximately 5400 and 2700 BCE. From there it follows the succession of cultures that occupied the region, including the Cimmerians, Scythians, and Sarmatians.
Seeing History I Had Already Seen
One aspect of the exhibit that particularly resonated with me was seeing photographs of artifacts that I had previously viewed during my four trips to Ukraine.
I was especially excited to see the famous fourth-century Scythian gold breastplate (pectoral), one of the masterpieces housed in the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in Kyiv. Founded in 1899, the museum contains more than 800,000 artifacts documenting Ukraine's history from ancient times to the present day.
Fourth-century Scythian gold breastplate displayed at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine. Photo source: The Guardian.
The exhibit also features photographs of Ukraine's ancient burial mounds, or kurgans, which date back thousands of years. During my travels in Ukraine, I saw many of these burial mounds scattered across the countryside. Sadly, many continue to suffer from looting and the destruction of their archaeological contents.
From the Ancient World to Kyivan Rus
The remaining panels trace Ukraine's history through successive eras.
Panels 9 and 10 examine the Goths, Huns, Volga Bulgars, Avars, and Khazars.
Panel 11 introduces the Antes and the early Slavs, whose homeland many historians associate with the Polissia region of northern Ukraine and southern Belarus.
Panels 12 through 15 explore the rise of Kyivan Rus, the Mongol invasion, and the development of Rus after the Mongol conquest.
Reading these panels reminded me that many older Canadian records described our ancestors as Ruthenians, derived from the Latin word Ruthenia, rather than as Ukrainians or Austrian (Austro-Hungarian Empire).
Panels 16 through 20 examine the evolving relationship between Ukraine and Moscow, followed by Panel 21, which discusses the origins and development of the Ukrainian language.
The final four panels celebrate important elements of Ukrainian culture: pysanky, traditional embroidery (vyshyvka), and the decorative art of Petrykivka painting.
A Personal Connection to the Cossacks
I have always been fascinated by the Cossacks. One of my Baba's sisters, Martha, married Harry Solinsky (also spelled Zilinsky), whose family believed they were descended from Cossacks. Harry was born on April 29, 1886, in Batalpashinskaya, Russia.
Out of curiosity, I searched for the location and discovered that Batalpashinsky was, in fact, a Cossack district (otdel) within the Kuban Oblast of the Russian Empire. Whether or not his family's tradition can be fully documented, it was fascinating to learn that the family story aligns with the historical geography.
The Ukrainian Language
The exhibit's discussion of the Ukrainian language also resonated with me personally.
My father spoke Ukrainian, and my grandparents lived on the same farmyard while I was growing up. Ukrainian was part of my early childhood. However, when I began school and my grandparents retired to Vermilion, my father decided that I should no longer speak Ukrainian because he was concerned it might make learning English more difficult.
As an adult, I have made several attempts to relearn the language. Like many descendants of Ukrainian immigrants, I wish I had never lost it.
Pysanky, Vyshyvanka, and Petrykivka
The final panels celebrate three of Ukraine's best-known cultural traditions.
The art of decorating eggs originated in pre-Christian Slavic traditions and was later incorporated into Christian Easter celebrations, giving rise to the beautiful pysanky that have become one of Ukraine's best-known cultural symbols.
The exhibit also explores the rich history of Ukrainian embroidery, or vyshyvka. Today, embroidered clothing continues to be proudly worn throughout Ukraine and across the Ukrainian diaspora, particularly on Vyshyvanka Day, celebrated each year on the third Thursday of May.
My own paternal family—the Kalynchuks and Stetskos—came from the Borshchiv district, which is famous for its striking embroidery featuring bold floral and geometric patterns dominated by black thread.
The final panel highlights Petrykivka painting, a vibrant decorative art form originating in the village of Petrykivka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Dating back to the eighteenth century, this distinctive artistic tradition has become internationally recognized and remains one of Ukraine's most celebrated forms of folk art.
Final Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed visiting this exhibit and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in Ukrainian history, archaeology, or culture. Whether you are a student of history or simply curious about Ukraine's rich past, the exhibit offers a fascinating journey spanning thousands of years.
Note: The order of the panels on Mykola's website differs slightly from the order described in Marco Levytsky's New Pathway Ukrainian News article because the exhibit was arranged differently when displayed at the Ukrainian National Federation Hall in Edmonton. In this article, I have followed the order shown on Mykola's presentation website.
Resources:
A presentation of Ukraine’s 7500+ years-old civilization, Ukrainian National Federation of Canada, Edmonton Branch
https://unfedmonton.ca/en/civilization-in-ukraine-7500-years-old/
UNF Exhibit Focuses on Over 7,500 Years of Civilization in Ukraine
https://newpathway.ca/unf-exhibit-focuses-on-over-7500-years-of-civilization-in-ukraine/
Kyiv Built Cathedrals when Moscow Was Still a Forest - Eastern Slavic Christianity, Explained, July 29, 2025, Ukraine World
https://ukraineworld.org/en/articles/stories/kyiv-built-cathedrals-when-moscow-was-still-forest
5 Ukrainian Virtual Museums to Visit from the Comfort of Your Home, published January 5, 2025, by Grace Ehrman, The Collector
https://www.thecollector.com/ukrainian-virtual-museums-visit-from-home/
National Museum of the History of Ukraine, Wikipedia.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_the_History_of_Ukraine
Ukrainian Burial Mound Dig Reveals 5,500-Year-Old Stonehenge-like Structure,
https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/ukrainian-burial-mound-0015385
Ukraine’s burial mounds offer meaning in a heap of history, Art Daily
https://artdaily.com/news/135522/Ukraine-s-burial-mounds-offer-meaning-in-a-heap-of-history
Batalpashinsky otdel, Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batalpashinsky_otdel
Cossacks, Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cossacks
Petrykivka painting, Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrykivka_painting
Egg decorating in Slavic culture, Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_decorating_in_Slavic_culture
Ukrainian embroidery, Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_embroidery
Ukrainian Borshchiv Embroidery, Thread written
https://threadwritten.com/journal/2020/10/31/borshchiv
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| Mykola Vorotylenko |
