New research on monetary circulation of the 14th–18th centuries and cossack era artifacts (17th–18th centuries) in Sumy region during the large-scale invasion of Ukraine (2022–2025)

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to collect and analyze new data as well as consolidate existing knowledge on monetary circulation and socio-economic life in the Sumy region during the Cossacks era. This includes the introduction into scholarly circulation of newly discovered coins and hoards, data on trade routes, economic relations, and Cossack settlements. The research methodology is based on the principles of scientific rigor, historicism, continuity of written and hoard sources, and comprehensive analysis of treasure complexes. The study also employs general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, abstraction, comparison, systematization, logic, generalization), specialized historical methods (chronological, analytical, mathematical, contextual), and numismatic methods (descriptive, typological, dating, archaeological research, numismatic iconography, metallography, and analysis of coin hoards). The scientific novelty lies in introducing new materials into scholarly discourse and interpreting them within the context of contemporary challenges, which has made it possible to reassess the historical development of the region and emphasize the importance of preserving the cultural heritage of Sumy in conditions of full-scale war. Conclusions. Based on the analysis of new coin hoards and individual artifacts, the following conclusions can be drawn. The study of new archaeological finds during the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine has helped supplement and refine existing views on monetary circulation and material culture in Sumy during the 14th–18th centuries. The new finds confirmed that monetary circulation in Sumy during the studied period was highly diverse. In particular, hoards discovered near the villages of Oblozhky, Peremoha, and Banychi (coins belonging to various issuing authorities —from Prince Dmytro Korybut of Novhorod-Siverskyi to Juchid dirhams and Ryazan  “baranchyky”) attest to the region’s intensive trade relations both with Northern and Eastern Europe and with the Golden Horde. The discovery of such unique items as four Saxon thalers of 1617 and a daler of Gustavus Adolphus (1545) indicates the deep integration of Sumy into international trade networks. Their presence in Cossack settlements points to xtensive trade and possibly diplomatic connections. The finds of a silver clasp and a bronze saber guard in the village of Poloshky not only supplemented numismatic data but also enabled the reconstruction of daily life and the social status of the Cossack elite. Thus, the study of monetary circulation and Cossack-era artifacts of the specified period is of particular importance because: it allows for the identification of previously unknown elements of monetary circulation or Cossack everyday life; the study of material evidence, particularly coins as indicators of sovereignty and economic self-sufficiency, becomes part of the information war and the struggle for the preservation of historical truth.