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Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania Seek UNESCO World Heritage Status for Trypillia Culture
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![Photo of Liubava Petriv]( "Photo of Liubava Petriv")
Ukraine, together with Moldova and Romania, will prepare a nomination dossier to propose the Trypillia culture for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications announced on September 18.
The commitment was formalized in a memorandum signed the same day in Chișinău. The proposed heritage object will be titled “The Cultural Complex Precucuteni–Ariuşd–Cucuteni–Trypillia: Architectural Heritage.”
“This is our shared heritage and a true treasure of humanity. This culture, which flourished more than 6,000 years ago, offers a unique understanding of early urbanism, culture, and the spiritual life of our ancestors,” said Tetiana Berezhna, head of the Ministry.
Ukraine currently has eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Saint Sophia Cathedral and Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv, the historic centers of Odesa and Lviv, the ancient beech forests of the Carpathians, the Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatian Metropolitans in Chernivtsi, and the ancient city of Chersonesus in temporarily occupied Crimea.
The Trypillia (or Cucuteni) culture was a Neolithic and Eneolithic archaeological culture that existed between roughly 5400–2700 BCE across present-day Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania.
It takes its name from the village of Trypillia near Kyiv, where archaeologist Vikentiy Khvoika discovered a settlement in the late 19th century. In Romania, it is known as the Cucuteni culture after the village of the same name.
The origins of the Trypillia people are not fully established, though many archaeologists link them to the Balkans. Their economy was based on arable farming—growing wheat, barley, millet, peas, and flax—as well as animal husbandry, with cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. Houses were built of wood and clay.
Among the most notable artifacts that have survived are richly decorated ceramics and terracotta figurines, which continue to shed light on the social and spiritual life of the culture.
Earlier, it was reported that the Mariupol Bull Figurine, which was likely stolen during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has been added to the list of the world’s 10 most wanted artifacts. The international community has been called upon to help return it to Ukraine.
