“Kharaluh Swords” is an autumn festival of blacksmithing and ancient weaponry in the village of Kharaluh in Rivne Oblast, the name of which is linked to the “kharaluh swords” from “The Tale of Ihor’s Campaign”. The festival was first held in 2024 by the Rivne Regional Center of Folk Art and the Korets City Council.
Where the name comes from
According to local tradition, back during Kyivan Rus, bladed weapons were forged here from iron smelted from bog ore mined nearby, near the village of Zaliznytsia. The first written mention of Kharaluh dates back to 1577; until the abolition of serfdom, the village was also known as Sorokapanivka, and in 1845 a cloth factory operated here. Near the village in 1971, archaeologists discovered a multilayer settlement of the Komariv culture from the Bronze Age. The coat of arms of Kharaluh features two silver swords above an open book.
At the festival
The programme revolves around blacksmithing: craftsmen demonstrate forging techniques and tools, hold masterclasses, and art historians share insights into the history of weapons. Nearby, there is a folk and applied arts fair, collections of antique axes, Polissian linen fabrics, local dishes, and music played on the hurdy-gurdy and the Polissian dudka-vykrutka, a pipe crafted right before the eyes of visitors.
Photo: Rivne Regional Center of Folk Art / OHO.ua.
