Archaeological Monitoring in War-Torn Ukraine

ABSTRACTThe article examines the problems of monitoring the destruction of the archaeological heritage in Ukraine as a result of the aggression of the Russian Federation. The negative impact of the war on the general state of research is indicated. The problems that arise during the monitoring of archaeological heritage in the de-occupied territories are considered. Among the factors that make it difficult to record the loss of archaeological heritage, the following are detailed: problems related to the accounting of archaeological objects; issues of limited remote and direct access to sites in the de-occupied and front-line territories; immediate risks to life and health when conducting field research. The article also gives a brief description of the work carried out in relation to monitoring of archaeological sites in the de-occupied territories and presents the activities of the 'Archaeological Landscapes Monitoring Group'. One of the conclusions of the study is the statement that there is an urgent need for a long-term state program to compile an archaeological record of Ukraine. The need to record losses in the field of archaeology during the war allows Ukraine to restart the system of site registration at a modern level and with the use of international experience.KEYWORDS: Cultural heritage of Ukrainewararchaeology and conflictarchaeological monitoringrecording of damagearchaeological landscapesaccounting of sites Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.Notes1. Finkelstein, Gillman and Rosén (eds.), The Preservation of Art and Culture in Times of War.2. Ivakin and Shydlovskyi, Ukrainian archaeological heritage under threat of Russian aggression: problems and prospects.3. Moldovan, The Russian invasion in Ukraine and cultural heritage protection..4. Almqvist, European Parliament declares Russia to be a state sponsor of terrorism.5. Radchenko and Kiosak, Always take a look back. Ethics in post-conflict archaeology.6. https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1805–14#Text.7. Telizhenko, Arkheolohichni pam'iatky i viina.8. Levada, Muzea ukraińskie po 24 lutego 2022 roku.9. Georgiou, 'Catastrophic': Putin's War Is Wiping Out Ukraine's Ancient History.10. Shydlovskyi, Telizhenko and Ivakin, Archaeological Heritage as a Target during War.11. Hardy, Looting of Antiquities from Ukraine by soldiers, collaborators and ordinary criminals, trafficking to and through Russia and dealing and collecting in Western Europe, since 2014.12. Bida, Blaha, Koval, Martynenko and Statkevych. Zi shchytom chy na shchyti? Zakhyst kulturnykh tsinnostei v umovakh zbroinoho konfliktu na skhodi Ukrainy.13. Telizhenko, Monitoring Archaeological Sites & Monuments in a War Zone.14. Druha richnytsia heroichnoi oborony Dovzhanskoho.15. Telizhenko, Monitoring Archaeological Sites & Monuments in a War Zone.16. Telizhenko and Hardy. Video report: Arkheolohiia na okupovanykh terytoriiakh ta u zonakh zbroinykh konfliktiv.17. Telizhenko, Arkheolohichni pam'iatky i viina.18. Monitorynh arkheolohichnykh obiektiv pid chas viiny.19. Bujskykh and Ivakin, Spilnyi ukraino-nimetskyi proiekt 'Ukrainian Archaeological Heritage, Threatened By War: saving and protection'.20. Seminar 'Protection and preservation of the archaeological heritage of Ukraine'..21. Shydlovskyi, Kornienko and Ivakin, (eds.), Scientific and Practical Seminar 'Protection and Preservation of Archaeological Heritage of Ukraine'.