Old crosses will be searched for in one of the cemeteries of the Cherkasy region: they are invited to the toloka

On August 20th, the public organization "Ukraine Incognita" is organizing a community work event ("toloka") at the ancient cemetery in the village of Zaliznyachka.

It has been determined that the cemetery contains 35 large crosses dating from the 18th and the first half of the 19th century, approximately 160 crosses from the late 19th to the early 20th century, and tombstones from the same period. An exact count is currently impossible as some crosses and tombstones are buried underground or hidden in dense undergrowth. Finding tombstones buried under the ground, within the heather, and in thick bushes is one of the tasks of the toloka.

The tasks of the toloka include clearing heather on an area of approximately 2 hectares, conducting search operations, and unearthing stone crosses and slabs buried under heather and soil.

The NGO "Ukraine Incognita" has collected a complete set of documents for the inclusion of the Zaliznyachka cemetery in the State Register of Monuments. Botanical research has also been conducted, showing the uniqueness of the cemetery's location—it is an untouched steppe that has never been affected by human activity. This applies to the upper, older part of the cemetery, where steppe grasses grow abundantly and prevent the spread of trees. The lower part contains burials from the late 19th century, which have been plowed and are overgrown with heather.

The toloka will take place on August 20th in Zaliznyachka, Zvenyhorod district, Cherkasy region, at 10:00 AM. Those who wish to participate and have the means can join from Kyiv. In case there are more than 10 interested participants, the cost of transportation will be shared proportionally based on the rental fee, which is approximately 8,000 UAH. If there are 16 people, the round-trip cost will be 500 UAH.

You can also provide financial assistance, which will be used for fuel for transportation, chainsaws, brush cutters, and the purchase or rental of tools. The donation card is as follows: PrivatBank 5363 5420 1695 7863. This information is provided by the local historians.