On the outskirts of the village of Kulishivka in Romny district stands an unusual monument — a metal stele with a mammoth bas-relief. It is considered the first mammoth monument in the world. It marks the place where bones of Ice Age animals were found in 1839, as well as the old border between the Tsardom of Moscow and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. The site of the discovery is the complex natural monument “Mamontove”.
Discovery of 1839
Kulishivka belonged to Yurii Holovkin, trustee of Kharkiv University, who had an estate in the nearby Kostyantyniv. In the autumn of 1839, his workers began building a distillery near the village and came across huge bones. Holovkin realized these were remains of ancient animals and called his friend, Professor of Medicine at Kharkiv University Ivan Kalynychenko. During excavations, two mammoth skeletons were collected, as well as bones of other Ice Age animals.
Monument and border
The stele is four-sided, on a small stone pedestal. At the top on the sides, the year “1841” is indicated, a bas-relief of a mammoth is depicted, and inscriptions about the value of the paleontological find are engraved. Another inscription reminds that here once ran the border between Poland and Russia. Thus, the monument simultaneously honors both the ancient animal and the historic boundary.
Natural monument
The complex natural monument “Mamontove” covering 0.1 hectares was established on July 9, 2009, at the site of the bone discovery. It is maintained by the Nedryhailiv settlement community. In 2007, the mammoth monument, together with the Sofroniivka Monastery and the Round Yard in Trostianets, was included in the top 100 of the “Seven Wonders of Ukraine” campaign.
How to get there
Kulishivka is in Romny district, near Nedryhailiv. The monument is on the outskirts of the village. The trip can be conveniently combined with Romny, which is several dozen kilometers away.
What to consider
Before traveling to Sumy region, check the security situation and restrictions of the Sumy Regional Military Administration.
