Human remains found in Podil could have belonged to composer Artemiy Vedel and other prominent Kyivans
1 May 2025 13:29
Containers with human bones have recently been found in Podil district of Kyiv. As it turned out, these are the remains from the Shchekavytske cemetery, where a number of well-known Kyiv residents were buried, but the capital’s archaeologists simply left them unattended, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
The human remains were found near the former archaeological base in Podil at 9-B Skovorody Street. Dozens of bags were stuffed with human bones.
It turned out that the bones were archaeological objects that were being excavated at this address by the Podil Archaeological Expedition of the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The expedition left the building, and tons of bones were simply left in a container with it.
According to representatives of the Ancient Kyiv Reserve, which owns the building, the scientists left behind 10 tons of bones.
“The amount of human bones there is incredible – more than 10 tons. These are mainly human skeletons from excavations on the slope of Mount Shchekavytsia, where the cemetery was once located. There are more than a thousand of them!”
– they wrote on the reserve’s Facebook page.
The Institute of Archeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine responded to the media outcry. It turned out that the bones have been lying there in a container since 2021. And the Kyiv City State Administration is responsible for them, the anvil workers say.
“In 2021, the Institute was finally “pushed out” of the premises under the pretext of “restoration”. After that, archaeologists lost access to the remains stored in the basement. They were moved to a metal container provided by the Kyiv City State Administration. Since then, the Department of Cultural Heritage Protection of the Kyiv City State Administration has been fully responsible for their condition and preservation,”
– they wrote on the page of the Institute of Archeology of the National Academy of Sciences.
Читайте нас у Telegram: головні новини коротко
Scientists say that they have long offered a solution to the Ministry of Culture, but no one was up to it. That’s why the bones were stored in a container in an abandoned building “temporarily.”
“There are no institutions in Ukraine that can store such anthropological collections, so storage in a container is a temporary solution that has long been needed… Experts have repeatedly suggested reburial of these remains, as is customary in world archaeological practice. The Institute appealed to the Ministry of Culture, because according to the law, even such remains are considered part of the museum collection. But there is no answer,”
– the scientists write.
Therefore, the archaeologists do not consider themselves guilty of mishandling human remains:
“The Institute of Archaeology has nothing to do with the condition of human remains. The responsibility lies with the local authorities. We call for a civilized solution – reburial and restoration of the scientific presence of archaeologists in Podil.”
Who the remains belong to
These bones are the remains of the Shchekavytske cemetery of the 18th and 19th centuries, which were previously studied by archaeologists and anthropologists. The cemetery was founded in 1772 in Shchekavytsia to bury the residents of Podil after the epidemic of 1770, when about six thousand Kyivans died of the plague.
Among others, composer Artemii Vedel, writer and poet, author of the lyrics to the song “Black Brows, Brown Eyes” Kostiantyn Dumytrashko, architect Andrii Melenskyi, and other prominent Kyiv residents were buried there. Presumably, the bones of many of them were kept in a container at a building in Podil. For example, Vedel’s grave was never identified, so it is likely that his remains were in the container.
The Institute of Archaeology claims that paleoanthropological research on the remains has been completed, so the bones are no longer of scientific value.
Now everyone is waiting for the decision of the Ministry of Culture on their fate. The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications has not yet commented on this high-profile issue.
Читайте нас у Telegram: головні новини коротко
