Archaeologists unearth bell tower of ancient rock monastery in Ukraine

The rock monastery in Maliivtsi near the waterfall. Photo: KhM-INSIDE

In the village of Maliivtsi, Khmelnytskyi region, an archaeological expedition led by Pavlo Nechytailo presented the results of excavations on the grounds of an ancient rock monastery, KhM-INSIDE reports.

Researchers uncovered the massive foundation of a bell tower that was wiped off the face of the earth during Soviet repressions against the Church. The finds allow the monastery to be dated to the 12th–13th centuries, confirming the deep historical roots of Orthodoxy in the region.

The walls of the discovered bell tower were built using an ancient technique: the outer part was laid with hewn stone, while the core was filled with a mixture of small rock fragments. In its strength, the structure resembled a defensive tower. “The goal of our expedition is to uncover the remains of the bell tower destroyed by the Bolsheviks in the 1930s, together with the church,” Pavlo Nechytailo said.

At a depth of about one meter, the excavation team found fragments of Old Rus’ pottery, 18th-century coins, and burials dating back to the pre-Mongol period. One of the most valuable finds was a fragment of textile interwoven with metal thread, which may have been part of a church vestment.

Maliivtsi Museum Director Anastasiia Donets noted that the cultural layer also contained fragments of frescoes that had been knocked off the church walls and used as construction debris during 19th-century rebuilding work.

As the UOJ reported, the foundation of the 12th-century Resurrection Church was discovered in Grodno.

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