The Trypillian Code – Seven Thousand Years and Counting

Lviv, July 24, 2012. Visitors and residents of the western Ukrainian city of Lviv have a unique chance to see the authentic remains of one of the oldest world civilizations – the Trypillian civilization. The exhibition The Trypillian Code, right after its debut in the United States, is now available for viewing at the historical Potocki Palace.

The term Trypillian civilization refers to the tribes that lived on the territory of contemporary Ukraine, Moldova and part of Romania from 5,400 B.C. to 2,750 B.C. The Trypillian civilization is believed to have played one of the most significant roles in the development of the current civilization. The Trypillian culture did not represent any particular ethnicity, claim some of the experts.

Trypillians are the earliest population recorded to have inhabited Ukraine’s territory, and it is believed that they picked this area because they found here the best rich black soil for agriculture – chernozem. According to historical research, Trypillians are considered to be the founders of agriculture. They practiced growing crops and wheat, as well as tended to animals and livestock. “In the middle of a Trypillian settlement, there has always been a temple where they went to pray, and they also kept smaller handmade temples in their houses. We have icons today showing that Trypillians built and lived in two-story houses,” said Myroslava Lakovska, tour guide for The Trypillian Code Exibition.

Trypillian society was matriarchal, with women heading the household, doing agricultural work, and making pottery, textiles, and clothing. Hunting, tending to the domestic animals and making tools were the responsibilities of the men. The primary deity of this ancient population was female. The Trypillian culture developed a rich symbolic system based on their religious beliefs of the Great Goddess as the powerful giver and regenerator of life and the wielder of death. “We have displayed unique masterpieces of Trypillian culture such as ceramic Trypillian toys and ritual elements that symbolized motherhood because in Trypillian culture a mother was highly honored. Trypillians practiced a matriarchy system in life and this, as well as mother-honoring traditions exist among Ukrainians today,” explained Victor Kushnirenko, Chairman of the Board of Management at Pidhoretskyi Castle.

The Trypillian civilization ceased to exist some time ago. Nevertheless, as we take a closer look at succeeding tribes and generations that existed in this area, especially cultures of the Bronze Era, we can find a resemblance between them. Scientists have found Trypillian symbols on the succeeding civilization’s dishes, ceramics, ornaments, and agricultural tools. Trypillian pottery contains elaborate symbolic forms with highly stylized pictures and patterns reflecting concepts of nature, life and the spiritual world. The tri-color designs of white, red and black are comprised of lines, spirals, crosshatched patterns, egg-shaped motifs and other symbols reflecting their ancient beliefs. Even today one can find in Ukraine ceramics that is colorfully painted with Trypillian symbols and ornaments that is also reflected in the traditional embroidery on shirts and towels.

Although Trypillian culture has been gone for nearly 7,000 years; it’s amazing to see that we can still find its remains in today’s Ukrainian culture, said one of the exhibition attendees. After all, 180 generations between the present day Ukrainians and the Trypillians are interconnected by thousands of strings representing common values and beliefs, she reiterated. “When this exhibition came here and we started unwrapping the pieces and began installing the jugs, we felt like each of them contained a lot of energy. Somebody’s hands held it 7,000 years ago… And now imagine you are holding this jug in your hands. That’s how the exhibition’s name emerged. I believe that the Trypillians, which still need to be more researched,wanted to pass us something that supported them in that hard environment where they were surviving, and inspired them to create such masterpieces,” concluded Kushnirenko.