British officials seize medieval items smuggled from Ukraine - many objects falsely described as "Viking"

The items will be sent to the National Museum of History of Ukraine in Kyiv. Until then, the metalwork will be on display in Room 53 in the British Museum to highlight this important work and collaboration between Britain and Ukraine.

The 86 metal alloy objects include cross-pendants that date from around the 11th to 14th centuries and are connected with Greek Orthodoxy. There are similar crosses from the district of Kyiv in the National Museum of Ukraine, believed to be local copies of Byzantine prototypes. The disc-pendants are also widespread in eastern Europe, are of similar date, and show the impact of Christianity on the local population. The other objects are finger rings, some also early medieval, but the majority are later in date.

Illegal metal detecting

Metal detecting by private individuals is illegal in most countries around the world, including Ukraine, and uncontrolled treasure hunting at archaeological sites of all periods causes huge damage and loss of historical information. Some of the pieces likely come from a hoard or graves. 

Many of these objects are sold with misleading provenances to try and conceal the country of origin, and many objects described as "Viking" actually come from early medieval sites in Ukraine. Close cooperation between international law enforcement agencies, museum curators, and archaeologists helps identify the true origin and is an essential first step before the repatriation of stolen or illicitly trafficked antiquities.

The British Museum is committed to contributing to the preservation of cultural heritage in the UK and globally, partnering with law enforcement agencies to identify illicitly trafficked antiquities. Objects seized in this way are brought to the British Museum for identification and cataloging. The Museum then liaises with colleagues in the national museums of the countries concerned to arrange the return of these objects.

Ambassador Prystaiko: A timely and sound initiative

"We welcome the decision of the British Museum to display the exhibits representing Ukrainian history. This is a timely and sound initiative at this difficult time, when Ukrainians are standing up for their freedom and sovereignty and when the voice of Ukraine needs to be heard in every corner of the world. It is another opportunity for us to demonstrate our deep-rooted history, the authenticity of our people, and our well-deserved and indisputable right to self-determination and statehood. We hope that the ties between the British Museum and the National History Museum of Ukraine will further expand and develop," Vadym Prystaiko, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom, said. 

"Culture is fragile yet precious. The scale of human displacement and destruction in Ukraine is deeply distressing. The safeguarding and neutrality of culture during conflict is crucial to the future rebuilding of society. We extend our deepest sympathy to our colleagues in museums and all the victims of this conflict, whether trapped or displaced, within Ukraine and beyond. We are working together with other organizations to provide aid and support to museums in Ukraine. You can find a second display celebrating Ukrainian cultural heritage in Room 2," Hartwig Fischer, Director at The British Museum, noted. 

Director-General Androshchuk: We're faced with transnational looting of Ukrainian heritage

"We live in a world of constant change as to the role of museums. This process has a direct connection with considerable changes in both societies and the global world. A national museum with a focus on both local history and cultural heritage is an important place where the cultural biography of the country is visualized through single artifacts and specially designed exhibitions. Each country has its own biography and experience, which should be learned and shared, and this makes museums important places for both the national and international public. One more important aspect of museum activity is the recording and preservation of cultural heritage.

"The global world and illicit trafficking of objects of cultural heritage have made these assignments internationally collaborative. In the last years, a number of objects acquired by illicit metal detectorists in Ukraine were sold to private collectors in Russia, Germany, and Britain. Some of these artifacts are unique, such as a Viking Age ship’s vane terminal found in Ukraine in 2015 and sold in England in 2016 with a fake provenance. We are facing gigantic transnational looting of Ukrainian heritage, which needs to be stopped through common efforts. Today these prevention measures are strengthened by the contribution of the British authorities and British Museum," Fedir Androshchuk, Director General at the National Museum of History of Ukraine in Kyiv, noted. 

The UK Border Force reported the following information on the case: 

"Border Force South Region Cargo Freight Specialist Team detected items of cultural interest in July 2021. These items, which were seized, appeared to be historical pendants and ring artifacts and were referred to the British Museum for further investigation. The Museum confirmed them to be early medieval jewelry from Ukraine. Detections of this kind are rare, and the Museum is arranging for them to be displayed until they can be repatriated. This seizure demonstrates the excellent around-the-clock work the Border Force does to search, find and stop these historical artifacts from entering the UK illegally. We will continue to work with international partners to detect such items of significant historical interest."

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