Frescoes Unearthed in the Crypt of Princes Drutsk-Sokolinsky Near Talachyn. Funds for Excavations Raised Through Crowdfunding
In Novoye Sakolino, the ancestral nest of an ancient family, archaeological excavations are underway on the remains of a princely burial ground from the 17th-18th centuries. Archaeologists have already managed to reach the crypt level and discover fragments of original murals. The work was initiated by local historians, and the funding was entirely raised through donations.
The archaeological expedition of the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus began on August 12 near the village of Novoye Sakolino. The work is led by Oleg Dyarnovich, Candidate of Historical Sciences and leading researcher at the institute. Volunteers from Talachyn, Kokhanava, and Minsk are working on the site alongside professional archaeologists.
The object of research is the remains of a stone religious building. According to sources, a burial vault, as well as Calvinist and Uniate churches, existed in this area at different times. Oleg Dyarnovich, the head of the expedition, provisionally dates the brick found during the excavations to the 17th century. The distinct geometry of the preserved foundations is also noted.
At present, archaeologists have managed to reach the level of the underground crypt. Among the most valuable material finds are fragments of original plaster with frescoes (murals), unique ceramic roof tiles, shards of a glass jug, and a bowl found directly inside the crypt.
The stone chapel is directly related to the memorial and confessional policy of the Polotsk Voivode Mikhail Drutsk-Sokolinsky (circa 1550 — 1621). It is known that after 1612, he founded a Calvinist assembly in Sakolino, which belonged to the Belarusian Evangelical Reformed District. Later, under him, a stone family burial vault appeared.
The Princes Drutsk-Sokolinsky are one of the most influential branches of the ancient Drutsky dynasty in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. This place has a direct connection to the lineage of the Grand Chancellor of Lithuania, Lew Sapieha. As genealogical guides testify, Lew Sapieha's mother, Bohdana, was the daughter of Konstantin Drutsk-Sokolinsky. After the death of her first husband, she married Ivan Sapieha in 1547. Thus, the excavations in Novoye Sakolino directly touch upon the ancestral home of one of the most outstanding statesmen in Belarusian history.
A distinctive feature of this expedition is its organizational and financial model. The excavations were initiated by local historian Zmitser Ivchanka with a specific pragmatic goal: to scientifically substantiate the historical value of the object.
The Belarusian Geographical Society (BelGT) acted as the client for the archaeological work, concluding an official agreement with the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences. The total estimated cost of the research was 4100 rubles. This amount is being collected through crowdfunding: concerned citizens make voluntary contributions through the ARIP system with the signing of a corresponding agreement for the research of the object.
The ultimate goal of the initiative is to prepare the necessary package of documents for the official inclusion of the discovered crypt and the remains of the temple in the State List of Historical and Cultural Values of the Republic of Belarus. This will provide legal protection to the ruins from destruction and prospects for further conservation.
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