
Spanish authorities have recently confiscated Scythian jewellery valued at €60m (£52m), which is suspected to have been illegally removed from Ukraine.
In 2016, the said pieces, comprising 11 ancient gold works, were covertly carried across Ukrainian borders with intent to be re-marketed in Spain. These stolen artifacts, which consist of bracelets, necklaces, and earrings spanning from the 8th to the 4th centuries BC, were accompanied by fraudulent papers implying ownership by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The recent confiscation follows five previous arrests made in relation to an investigation into the sale of a gold belt decorated with ram heads, which occurred in 2021.
The Scythians, a nomadic tribe hailing from the realms of Eastern Europe and Asia, and rulers of the region currently belonging to Southern Ukraine from approximately 800 BC until 400 AD, are renowned for their rich cultural legacy. Their talent in metalwork was extraordinary, particularly exemplary in the intricate details of their gold jewellery.
Independently, Ukrainian authorities reported last week the recovery of 14 stolen archaeological items, presumably purloined from territories occupied by Russia. One Russian individual has been detained following a foiled attempt to smuggle these artifacts into the United States. The recovered items include a Neolithic axe dating back to roughly 5,000-3,000 BC.
Ukraine’s acting Minister of Culture, Rostyslav Karandieiev humorously remarked during a news conference, “Ukraine has received a new cargo of weaponry, with the only catch being its considerably ancient origins.”
The Scythian civilization’s artifacts form a significant part of Ukraine’s famed historical heritage. Ukrainian archaeologists have reported continuous pilferage of Scythian gold stored in Ukrainian museums in regions under Russian control, purportedly since the full-blown invasion last year.
The extent of the alleged Russian plundering of Ukraine’s historical and artistic heritage is believed to extend to hundreds of millions of euros.