Customs officers prevented the export of 39 archaeological artifacts from the 8th–20th centuries
Kyiv • UNN
Kyiv customs stopped the illegal export of valuable items to the USA, France, and Italy. Experts identified authentic jewelry and tools.
Kyiv customs officers prevented the illegal export of 39 archaeological items of cultural value. They were attempted to be sent in international postal shipments to the USA, France, and Italy. This was reported by the State Customs Service, according to UNN.
Details
As noted, the senders were residents of Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Vinnytsia regions.
Due to signs of antiquity, customs officers sent the items for examination to the National Museum of the History of Ukraine. Experts confirmed that these are authentic samples from various historical periods — from the 8th to the 20th century, including the Saltovo-Mayaki culture, as well as the Middle Ages, early modern, modern, and contemporary eras in Ukraine.
Among the seized items are two bronze toilet sets from the 8th–10th centuries, belonging to the Saltovo-Mayaki culture. Such sets include an ear pick, tweezers, and a hairpin and were used for personal hygiene.
Also discovered were 28 buttons from the 9th–18th centuries, which served not only as fasteners but also as decorations, a personal seal from the 18th century with engraved initials, three Latin-type pectoral crosses, and five bronze rings with glass inserts, dating from the 19th–20th centuries.
All seized items are recognized as cultural values.
The customs service reminded that archaeological items cannot be objects of private sale or collection, and are not subject to export outside of Ukraine without the appropriate permission from the Ministry of Culture.
No permits were provided to the customs officers. The artifacts have now been transferred to the customs warehouse.