KLEINODY AS MATERIAL SYMBOLS OF POWER IN THE COSSACK STATE OF THE XVI–XVIII CENTURIES AS A HISTORICAL SOURCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26661/zhv-2025-11-63-01Keywords:
museum artifacts, historical symbolism; , cultural identity; , Ukrainian statehood; , military democracy; , symbols of power; , banners (korohvy); seals;, mace (bulava); bunchuk; , Hetmanate; , Zaporozhian Host; , Cossack kleinody;Abstract
The article provides a comprehensive analysis of Cossack kleinody as multifunctional material symbols of power, military organization, and cultural identity of the Zaporozhian Host in the sixteenth–eighteenth centuries. It examines the formation of the system of kleinody in the context of the emergence of the Cossacks as a military-political force and the development of the state institutions of the Hetmanate. The study demonstrates that kleinody fulfilled not only administrative and military functions but also served as important markers of the legitimization of power, political representation, diplomatic communication, and sacred ritual.
Special attention is devoted to the analysis of the main types of Cossack kleinody: the mace (bulava), the bunchuk, banners (korohvy), seals, as well as certain military musical instruments. The evolution of the mace is traced from a cold-weapon striking implement to a symbol of authority, including its contemporary status as one of the attributes of the President of Ukraine. Drawing on museum artifacts, written sources, and scholarly research, the article reveals the typological, functional, and artistic characteristics of kleinody, as well as their role within the system of military democracy of the Zaporizhian Sich.
The article emphasizes the high artistic value of kleinody, which were produced using sophisticated techniques of chasing, inlay, and filigree. These artifacts reflect the aesthetic ideals of early modern Ukrainian society and the advanced level of artistic culture of the Hetmanate. The continuity of Cossack symbolism in Ukrainian culture is demonstrated – from heraldry and museum collections to modern state and military symbolism, including commemorative coins issued by the National Bank of Ukraine.
It is concluded that Cossack kleinody are not merely material relics of the past but key sources for understanding the worldview foundations of Cossack society, its concepts of power, justice, community, and statehood. Their study and preservation are of great importance for historical scholarship and for the formation of modern Ukrainian national identity.
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