Black Grave
The Black Grave in Chernihiv, Ukraine, stands more than 10 metres high and measures 170 metres around. It is the largest burial mound in the city, the kind of earthwork that archaeologists call a kurgan. Its Ukrainian name is Чорна могила. Beneath that mass of earth lay a funeral staged for two people, with weapons, animals and treasure placed around them. Who were they? Why did a burial of Norse warriors rise in this particular place? And how did the objects left with them end up in a museum far from Chernihiv? The answers begin with a nineteenth-century excavation.
In 1872 and 1873, the archaeologist Dmitry Samokvasov dug into the Black Grave. What he found was not a single skeleton but the remains of two cremated bodies. He identified them as Norse warriors, probably a father and his son. Around them lay slaves, sacrificial animals, arms, armour and decorations. Samokvasov dated the burial to the late 10th century. At that time Vladimir I was the ruler of Kievan Rus. The mound invites comparison with the barrows of Gnyozdovo, near Smolensk, which are of similar scale. The scale suggests that the dead were people of high rank. Samokvasov and later writers have thought the two men were probably princes of Chernihiv. Yet the Slavonic chronicles record no local ruler there before Mstislav of Chernihiv, a son of Vladimir. The identity of the men under the mound therefore rests on the objects found with them.
Once the two bodies had been cremated, they were set on a mound that stood 7 metres high. There the mourners held a funeral feast. A cauldron holding ram bones was left among the offerings. Near the bodies were two helmets and two knee-length chain mail hauberks, probably pulled from the pyre. Two sacerdotal knives lay alongside an imported sabre and two golden Byzantine coins. A miniature idol of Thor, made of dark-red bronze, was also set among the offerings. The most elaborate pieces were two aurochs horns bound in silver. Their decoration included floral motifs, fabulous animals, and a man and a woman shooting at a bird. When the barrow was finished, a stele was placed at its top. That marker once crowned the mound that now stretches past 10 metres.
Today the Black Grave sits within the Chernihiv National Architecture-Historical Reserve, known as Ancient Chernihiv. The reserve also protects 34 other buildings, mostly churches. The mound is part of the National Sanctuary of Ancient Chernihiv and carries the status of an Archaeological Monument of national importance. Together with the rest of the reserve, it is the major tourist attraction of the Chernihiv Oblast. The treasures that once lay beside the dead are not there to be seen. Every item recovered from the mound is displayed at the State Historical Museum in Moscow.
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Common questions
What is the Black Grave in Chernihiv?
The Black Grave (Чорна могила) is the largest burial mound, or kurgan, in Chernihiv, Ukraine. It stands over 10 metres high and has a circumference of 170 metres.
Who excavated the Black Grave in Chernihiv?
Dmitry Samokvasov excavated the Black Grave in 1872-73. He uncovered two cremated bodies of Norse warriors, probably a father and son.
Who was buried in the Black Grave?
Two cremated Norse warriors, probably father and son, were buried in the Black Grave. They were likely two princes of Chernihiv, though no local ruler is named in the Slavonic chronicles before Mstislav of Chernihiv.
When was the Black Grave burial made?
Samokvasov dated the Black Grave burial to the late 10th century. Vladimir I was then the ruler of Kievan Rus.
What was found in the Black Grave?
The Black Grave held two helmets, two chain mail hauberks, a cauldron with ram bones, two sacerdotal knives, two golden Byzantine coins, an imported sabre, a bronze idol of Thor and two silver-bound aurochs horns. Slaves and sacrificial animals were also buried with the two warriors.
Where are the Black Grave artifacts kept today?
The items from the Black Grave are displayed at the State Historical Museum in Moscow. The mound itself remains in Chernihiv, Ukraine.
Can tourists visit the Black Grave in Chernihiv?
Yes. The Black Grave is part of the Chernihiv National Architecture-Historical Reserve, known as Ancient Chernihiv. Together with the rest of the reserve, it is the major tourist attraction of the Chernihiv Oblast.
All sources
5 references cited across the entry
- 1Black Grave Mound2006