A fragment of a stele dating back to Scythian times was found by tractor drivers who were ploughing a field near the village of Vasyne near Znamianka. The villagers informed researchers from the Vynnychenko Pedagogical University in Kropyvnytskyi. According to archeologist Kyrylo PANCHENKO, assistant lecturer with the department of the history of Ukraine, the artifact probably dates back to the late 6th or early 5th century B.C.

“They came across the stele while they were ploughing the mound, illegally. We learned about it from Natalia Demeshko, history teacher from the Moshoryne school. Actually, it is due to her alarm message we were able to save the stele from likely destruction,” commented Panchenko.

To keep the unique artifact safe from the so-called black [i.e. illegal. – Ed.] archeologists, local authorities took it under their protection. Later the stele is to be transported to a museum for further research.