A new museum exhibition about a millennium of local pottery tradition is being created in border town Liubech in the Chernihiv region

Museum pottery – Liubech Archaeological Museum

In Liubech, Chernihiv region, practically on the state border with Belarus, the Liubech Museum is creating a new museum exhibition “Liubech Pottery: 1000 Years of Tradition. From Kyivan Rus to the Present.” The project is being implemented with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation. The new exhibition will tell the story of the development of Liubech’s and the region’s ceramic tradition over the centuries — from the era of Kyivan Rus to the present. Its foundation will be archaeological finds from various historical periods, as well as ceramic items donated to the museum by Liubech residents. Liubech is one of the symbols of Kyivan Rus and one of the oldest cities recorded in the chronicles. Archaeological research has made it possible to uncover numerous unique materials, among which ceramic artifacts occupy a significant place. The new exhibition aims not only to present these finds to a wide audience but also to demonstrate the continuity of the local cultural tradition over a millennium. Pottery is one of the most common materials archaeologists find during excavations. By the shape of vessels, their manufacturing technology, and other features, researchers can determine when they were made, trace cultural connections, and follow the development of traditions.

The project will have three interconnected components: a physical museum exhibition, an interactive zone, and a virtual exhibition. A virtual tour of the ceramic collection will be available on the “Ancient Liubech” museum complex website. Special attention in the project is given to digitizing museum items. Some of the most valuable exhibits are planned to be converted into digital format and have 3D models created. A separate direction will be the digitization of Liubech’s architectural monuments. An important part of the new exhibition will be the interactive zone. Visitors will be able not only to view ceramic objects but also to touch their replicas. Some models will be printed using a 3D printer. Before that, digital copies of the items will be created using photogrammetry. This format will make the exhibition more accessible to different categories of visitors, including children and people with visual impairments. At the same time, 3D models allow people to get acquainted with museum items remotely — through the virtual exhibition.

Digitization has special importance for preserving cultural heritage during wartime. Creating digital copies makes it possible to record the shape, dimensions, and other characteristics of museum items and preserve information about them even if the original is physically lost.

The first 3D models of ancient pottery are already available at the link

Specialists from the Historical and Archaeological Museum Complex “Ancient Liubech,” the Institute of Archaeology of the NAS of Ukraine, and the National University “Chernihiv Collegium” are working on the project. The project’s implementation is carried out in compliance with the necessary security requirements. A significant portion of the work is being done in the regional center.