The international exhibition “Kyivan Rus’. Origins” became the largest exhibition project of the National Museum of Lithuania (LNM) in 2024. There are several hundreds of prominent artifacts from the National Museum of the History of Ukraine (MIST) there. In particular, the plinth with the image of the trident from the 10th century, the zlatnyk of Volodymyr Sviatoslavych and the famous diadem from the settlement of Divych-Gora in the village of Sakhnivka in Cherkasy region are among them.

According to the organizers, the exhibition presents the nearly 300-year history of the emergence and flourishing of Kyivan Rus’, as well as the issues that have changed the established perception of the region’s history. It includes the story of its origins with the participation of Scandinavian, Baltic, Finnish and Slavic forces; links with Scandinavia; connections to the lands of the present-day Baltic countries; and the collapse of the polity and echoes of its enduring traditions in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. This exhibition aims to illuminate the rich history of multicultural Rus’. Most importantly, it will highlight the question on the origin of Rus’ and continued its traditions after its dissolution. 

The project “Kyivan Rus’. Origins” has brought together more than 20 partners from Poland, the Baltic states, and Scandinavia. From Ukraine, in addition to MIST, the Archaeological Museum of the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the Zaporizhzhia regional museum of local lore, and the Lviv Historical Museum are participating in it. The exhibition is under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda. 

This exhibition became a new stage of collaboration between the MIST and the LNM. It was started with the campaign “Ukrainian culture has no means of defence” a year ago, when people in Lithuania were collecting funds for the preservation of Ukrainian heritage. Later, our restorers had an internship in Vilnius. And we hope that this friendship will develop. 

Dr. Rūta Kačkutė, co-curator of the exhibition and general director of the National Museum of Lithuania told us more about the projects and stereotypes, which it destroys.

“We needed to help our visitors rediscover the history of the entire Eastern European region”

This exhibition is in a way a rethinking of “Rus’ – Vikings in the East” project at the Moesgaard Museum in Denmark, which took place about three years ago. How does “Kyivan Rus’. Origins” differ from the aforementioned Danish project? What new accents have you added?

This exhibition was truly inspired by the stunning artifacts from Ukraine displayed at the Moesgaard Museum. However, while considering how to present these exhibits in Lithuania, an almost entirely new project emerged. The Danish exhibition mainly told the story of the Vikings, their activities in Eastern Europe, and their contribution to the formation of Kyivan Rus’. While this is an engaging and relevant topic for Danes, in our context – especially after the full-scale war started by Russia in Ukraine – different accents became more significant. Thus, we created a fundamentally new exhibition based on our own concept.  

We realized that we needed to help our visitors rediscover the history of the entire Eastern European region and dismantle the deliberately propagated false perceptions developed over many years. We needed to address why such manipulation of history is dangerous. The understanding of the formation, flourishing, and fall of Kyivan Rus’ history creates immunity to this. It becomes impossible to believe the propaganda of a “Slavic world” when one sees multiculturalism flourishing in Kyivan Rus’, the development of Western traditions, the accumulated influences of Scandinavians and other cultures, and the turning towards Europe rather than the East. 

Russia’s imagined right to the territories of Kyivan Rus’ and its historical legacy is entirely refuted by the fact that it, as the Grand Duchy of Moscow, evolved from a very small part of the lands on the periphery of Kyivan Rus’ and only in the 14th century, at the fall of Kyivan Rus’. When preparing the exhibition, it was also important for us to include and reflect on Lithuania’s context.  

Therefore, the exhibition that was held in Denmark and this exhibition are two different things. Although they are based on the same archaeological artifacts from Ukraine, the other displayed artifacts are not identical. Perhaps this reveals the charm of archaeology and history museums – we have the same material but can tell many different stories. It is crucial that they are scientifically proven and tell the truth, not serve politics and ideology as the Russian Empire did and as the Russian Federation continues to do today.

There are different terms for the Rus’ period, like Kyivan Rus’, Rus’, Ukraine-Rus’ and so on. Why did you decide to use the term “Kyivan Rus’” in the exhibition title? 

In Lithuanian historiography, this early Eastern European state has traditionally been referred to as Kievan Rus’, which is why we chose this term – to ensure it is familiar and understandable to our visitors. The term “Kyiv” used today is transcribed from modern Ukrainian, whereas “Kievan” derives from the Ruthenian language of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (14th century or earlier), preceding the phonetic features characteristic of contemporary Ukrainian. When speaking about these days, we use modern Ukrainian language forms such as Kyiv, Lviv, etc.

“This exhibition fosters a new self-awareness”

How did your personal views on the Rus’ period change during the preparation of the exhibition?

To be honest, while preparing this exhibition, we had to familiarize ourselves with the latest academic literature from the past few decades, presenting research conducted after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Open borders allowed researchers to gain a much better understanding of archaeological materials from Scandinavia and Finland, shedding new light on the formation of Kyivan Rus’. 

It was fascinating to examine material from neighboring Latvia, highlighting Scandinavian settlements and the significance of the Daugava trade route. Recent discoveries on Salme Island in Estonia – two ships containing the remains of 41 Vikings who died in battle – offered intriguing insights into processes in the Baltic Sea region during that time. Additionally, we can now discuss the Baltic tribes in a new light in the context of the establishment and flourishing of Kyivan Rus’.

The Rus’ period is also connected with Lithuanian history. What is generally known about this in your country? How do these links manifest themselves today?

Historical links between Rus’ and Lithuania are not fully acknowledged, and this exhibition seeks to change this situation. A compelling narrative of how closely the history of Kyivan Rus’ is linked to our own history, both Baltic and from the time of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania helps to unravel and explain these connections.

It is important to understand that the exhibition also fosters a new self-awareness. By exploring the historical processes of neighboring nations (both to the north and east), we can better grasp how they influence our own history. The exhibition examines the role of Baltic tribes in these processes, our relationships with the vast neighboring state, and how the collapse of Kyivan Rus’ impacted Lithuania’s historical trajectory.

A significant contribution to this mission is the first-ever display in Lithuania of findings from the Baltic 11th-century Ostriv burial site, discovered in 2017 near the Ros’ river in Ukraine. This recent and underexplored yet crucial scientific discovery reveals that the Balts were involved in more complex processes than previously thought. They were not only traders but also valued as warriors, possibly hired to guard and defend Kyivan Rus’ borders. This encourages a reevaluation of Baltic–Rus’ relations and reinterpretation of museum collections. From the 13th century, Kyivan Rus’ lands began integrating into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

One of the central questions of the exhibition is about the heirs of Rus’. How do you answer it? What is Lithuania’s role in continuing the Rus’ tradition?

In the exhibition, connections to Lithuania are highlighted: the pagan Grand Duchy of Lithuania leveraged the collapse of Kyivan Rus’ in the 13th century, with Mindaugas annexing some of its lands. By the 14th – 15th centuries, the Gediminid dynasty expanded into vast Ruthenian territories. They took Rus’ princesses as wives, and the Ruthenian language became one of the main administrative languages in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Craftsmen and merchants from Ruthenian lands settled in centers like Kernavė and Vilnius. In Vilnius, a suburb known as the Ruthenian City began to form in the 14th century, the first Orthodox churches were built, and an Orthodox community of townspeople gathered. 

The noble families originating from Ruthenian lands, such as the Sapiehas, Chodkiewiczes, Ostrogskys, and Tyszkiewiczes, played an active role in the political and cultural life of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Today, it often goes unnoticed that the Oginski princely family, regarded as distinctly Lithuanian, actually descends from the Rurikid dynasty.

“Dismantling the image of the East as a ‘Slavic world’ should become an educational mission”

One of the aims of your exhibition is to debunk Russian propaganda stereotypes. Which of these stereotypes do you think Lithuanians share, perhaps unconsciously? How is the research approach to this period changing?

The biggest issue is that the history of this region is poorly known and has long been overlooked both in Lithuania and Europe, creating room for various interpretations to spread. One such narrative comes from Vladimir Putin, who claims that Ukrainians and Russians are the same people and should belong to one state. This is completely false, as political and cultural differences in the Kyivan Rus’ regions became evident as early as the 11th century.

With the ongoing war in Ukraine, it is crucial to present a new perspective on the history of this region, as understanding it becomes vital in debunking the narrative that Ukraine does not belong to Western civilization. This knowledge helps counter any attempts to use historical interpretations or propaganda to justify Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Historically, Lithuanian society has been fairly resilient to Russian propagandist narratives and claims. Therefore, dismantling the image of the East as a “Slavic world” should become an educational mission within a broader context, potentially extending to the rest of Europe.

This exhibition is a crucial step toward understanding the early history of the entire Eastern European region. This message is encoded in the exhibition’s title, “the Origins.” It reflects both the origins of Kyivan Rus’, the subject of the exhibition, and the inception of an effort to explore this topic more deeply. Currently, Lithuanian schoolchildren learn very little about the history of Kyivan Rus’. Its history is nearly absent from national discourse, despite its significant power and wealth during the early Middle Ages.

“Visitors deeply engage with the material of the exhibition”

What are the first reactions to the exhibition? What surprises visitors the most?

Visitors’ feedback has been positive. While the exhibition’s content is not particularly easy, we aimed to present it in a clear and understandable way. Visitors deeply engage with the material, actively consult our advisors and guides, and ask numerous questions. The biggest surprise often occurs at the very beginning of the exhibition, sparking intrigue and a desire to explore further. This surprise rises from realizing that the origins of the Slavic world – Kyivan Rus’ – were not purely Slavic, but rooted in Western orientation and multicultural foundations. 

What does the exhibition’s public program include?

Like all of our exhibitions, this one includes three key components: accompanying events, guided tours, and educational activities for students. Special attention has been given to guided tours in Ukrainian language, which have generated significant interest and are offered free of charge. During these tours, Valentyna Ryvlina – a PhD in social communication, art historian and educator from Ukraine – guides Ukrainian visitors and presents the exhibits in their native language.

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The international exhibition “Kyivan Rus’. Origins” will run at the House of Histories (T. Kosciuškos st. 3) in Vilnius, Lithuania, until March 30, 2025.