VISUAL ARTS + MUSEUMS

The Houston Museum of Natural Science presents Ancient Ukraine - Golden Treasures and Lost Civilizations. 6,000 Years of Archaeology! On tour for the first time in the United States, the exhibit Ancient Ukraine - Golden Treasures and Lost Civilizations covers 6,000 years of history and prehistory of various cultures that once inhabited the territory of modern Ukraine.

Ancient trade routes crossed this part of the world for countless centuries. As a result, trade items from many of the Old World’s civilizations have been found in Ukraine.

The Beginning: Trypilian culture
The exhibit starts with the Trypilian culture, dating back to 5,000 BC. Pottery decorated with red and black paints, sacred symbols, as well as temple models and animal sculptures, will be on display.

Scythian Style
Between the 7th and 3rd centuries BC, the Scythians, known for their beautiful stylized animal-shaped ornaments, roamed what is now Ukraine. The fertile soil of the region attracted Greek settlers as early as the 7th century BC.

Hellenistic Influences
Greek presence lasted well into the Hellenistic period (around the 2nd century BC), represented here by a dazzling array of bronze sculpture, exquisite gold jewelry, extraordinary rhytons (drinking cups partially in the shape of a ram), black-slip pottery, and amphorae.

Roman Might
Rome’s might reached the Black Sea—and the shores of Ukraine—as early as the 1st century BC. We see Roman presence reflected in art forms that blend traditions from both Greek and Roman worlds. Among the items on display are bright red and orange pottery, transparent glass, bronze and silver vessels, and jewelry incorporating precious stones, filigree, granulation and inlays.

Byzantine Treasures
Discover treasures from the Byzantine Empire, the ancient Slavic state of Kyivan Rus’, and various steppe nomads, spanning the 5th through the 13th centuries AD. Utensils, relics, chalices, kolts, pendants, rings, bracelets and necklaces provide an idea of the array of objects used by the inhabitants of medieval Ukraine.

This exhibit is presented by the Foundation for International Arts & Education of Bethesda, Maryland in cooperation with the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council and with the support of the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States and the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.