Батуринська старовина

Description

Published in association with the Olena Teliha Publishing House in Kyiv thanks to a research and publication grant from the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, Baturyns’ka starovyna is the largest collection of articles published to date dedicated to the former capital of Hetman Ukraine, Baturyn. Essays by prominent scholars from Ukraine, Canada, USA, Russia, Sweden, and Italy examine the town’s origins, its development, and the zenith of its prosperity and significance during the time when it served as the capital of the Cossack state (1669-1708). It includes articles from various disciplines: archaeological studies of Baturyn’s topography, fortifications, architecture, planning, social structure, crafts, commerce, arts, and international ties are complemented by essays on its political, military, ecclesiastical and intellectual history.

Baturyn, located in the Chernihiv region of Ukraine, was one of the capitals of the Ukrainian Cossack state, most notably during the reign of Hetman Ivan Mazepa (1687-1708). In 1708, it became the centre of Mazepa’s insurrection against Moscow control of Left-Bank Ukraine and was subsequently destroyed by Russian troops, who massacred its military garrison and civilian population (11,000-14,000 people).

Prior to Ukrainian independence, any research into Baturyn’s history was politically taboo because of its association with the rebellious Mazepa, who had been anathematized by the Tsarist regime and demonized by the Soviet authorities. In 1995-97, an archaeological expedition from Chernihiv State University began excavations there. These were successfully continued by a Canada-Ukraine expedition in 2001-08. The Baturyn archaeological project has been sponsored by the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS), particularly its Kowalsky Program for the Study of Eastern Ukraine, the Shevchenko Scientific Society of America, and the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies in Toronto, Canada since 2001. The project has been led by Prof. Zenon Kohut, Director of CIUS. This book explores and evaluates the findings from more than a decade of the extensive excavations carried out in Baturyn. The majority of articles are in Ukrainian; a few are in English.