Ukrainian archaeologists have uncovered the location of the grandiose Kumeiky battle of 1637 involving the Cossacks. The discovery was made by scientists from the National Museum of History of Ukraine, during a planned archaeological reconnaissance conducted in the Cherkassy region. The first findings of this battle were shown at the exhibition of ancient weapons, which opened on Volunteer Day, March 14, at the National Museum of History of Ukraine.
Kumeiky Battle
Bogdan Khmelnitsky was occupying the position of a scribe at that time. The battle near Kumeyky was a large-scale one, localized between four villages, Kumeiky, Moshny, Sofievka, and Yasnozorie. According to the head of the archeological expedition of the museum, PhD in history Sergey Didenko, the site of the battle spans several hundred hectares, which made the discovery of archaeological finds an unprecedented luck.
The discovery was made when the archaeologists were investigating the monuments of the Old Russia times last year. After finishing their work, they caught hold of archaeological material dating back to the late Middle Ages. Scientists came to the conclusion that the findings are directly related to the battle of Kumeyki. The village where the battle took place is a few kilometers from the excavation site, and this area had almost never been explored before.
Archaeological Finds
Archaeologists found a large number of balls from muskets and fragments of cold and firearms, Cossack household items, fragments of Polish outfit, handcuffs on the site of the Cossack camp and coins minted no later than 1637.
Didenko drew attention to the tip of a Polish winged hussar’s pike as one of the most interesting finds. The armor of such hussars was decorated with feathers, and such a spearhead is a very rare find. Collections of European museums present weapons of winged hussars from the late seventeenth to the eighteenth century. However, earlier specimens, such as those found by the Ukrainian archaeologists from the 1630s, are few in museums.
The Significance of the Discovery
The discovery of the Kumeiky battle site is significant as it provides a rare opportunity to verify written information with the help of archaeological finds. According to Didenko, each of the finds carries in itself objective information about the battle that took place on December 6, 1637, Saint Nicholas Day. He noted that battles are mostly known from written sources and are subjective.
The discovery of the site and the finds will contribute to Ukrainian history and enrich the knowledge of the battle for future generations.
