DUKACHI AND JEWELRY: FROM NADPORIZHZHIA TO THE SEA

This is the sixth exhibition to present exhibits from the renowned Ukrainian "Museum of the Cross". The founder of the museum, historian and collector Viktor Veklenko, has presented over 600 pieces of jewelry – dukachi (traditional coin medallions), necklaces, pectoral crosses, earrings, and other jewelry items. The artifacts originate from the Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Odesa regions, vividly demonstrating the richness of forms, artistic traditions, and regional characteristics of Ukrainian women's and men's jewelry. The display cases also highlight the deep chronology of the items. Visitors can see glass bracelets from the times of Kyivan Rus, crosses from the 17th–18th centuries, and dukachi from the 18th–19th centuries. Some of these are truly unique exhibits, such as kunichky – mother-of-pearl jewelry from Mount Athos, or a necklace made of Afghan coins from the 1970s, which refers to the international armed conflict of that era. Each piece of jewelry is an artistic creation as well as a monument to human destiny, serving as a bearer of historical memory and cultural heritage. Guests learned about the history of the most striking exhibits, the peculiarities of their everyday use, and the traditions of their crafting during a guided tour provided by the founder himself.