Manevychi boat - monoxyl

About

In August 2015, in the Styr riverbed, between the villages of Starosillya and Kopyllya, local residents discovered a large wooden boat-dovbanku. Initial estimates gave it an age of about 500 years.

However, radiocarbon analysis conducted in the laboratory of the Institute of Environmental Geochemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine showed a much older origin — 1223–1256. This is the 13th century, a period of active development of waterways in Rus.

The boat, hollowed out of a solid tree trunk (monoxyl), is 12.2 meters long and has an exceptional level of preservation. In terms of its age, scale, and condition, it is one of the few and best-preserved objects of underwater archaeology of this level not only in Ukraine but also in Europe.

Six paired cuts were recorded on the hull of the monoxyl, indicating its connection with another hull. This allows scientists to assume that the find was part of a catamaran or platform system, probably associated with the use of currents - for example, in floating mills.

Today, the monoxyl is exhibited in a separate hall of the Manevytskyi Museum of Local Lore. In fact, it is a museum of one exhibit, where material heritage is combined with scientific research and educational activities.