| During the Middle Ages the image of Swastika was common trough all spheres of sociaty. Swastika during the times of Kievan Rus (800-1200) and Galician-Wolynian Kingdom was used on various objects and places. |
| Prior to Christianity, the Rus worshiped many pagan gods.; The main god in their patheon was the God of Sky and the Sun - Swarog, whose symbol was Eternal Fire and the symbol associated with it - swastika. In Ukrainian this symbol was named after the name of the god Swarog - hence comes the term Swarga. As the Christianity was introduced Swastika was still in use, but hat to adapt a Christian meaning to it. Thus Swarga became knows as the symbol of Gods greatness and Holy fire. Peasans also believed that the sign of Swastika brings good luck and if painted above the doorway would keep away the evil spirits (the tradition of painting swargas above the doors was still commong in the 20th century among the mountaneers of Carpathians) Symbol of Swastika was used on many other houshold objects - one can find on the beltbuckles, brosches, pins, and jewlery. Swastika was also a commong pottery mark - archeologists had found remains of pottery from all over Ukraine with such symbols. |
| Swaskika was also widely used by the upper classes in medieval Ukraine. As symbol of Gods Greatness, swastikas were painted on the churche's wall, decorated icons, parts of priests robes and eved became part of architectural decoratioins, as seen on 12th centrury church from Chernigiv. The largest and one of the oldest churches in Ukraine - St. Sophia, built in the 11th century has all of its altar decorated in swastika mosaics, alternating with the motifs of the cross. |
| Swastika mosaic from St. Sofia church, circa 1050 |  |
| Detail from the mosaic |
| Swastika design on St. Friday church from Chernigiv, 11th C. |
| Swastika ornamented illumination from Trier Psalter 12th C. |  |
| Pottery markings |
| The designes used in Kievan Rus would include Swastika turning both ways |  |  |  |
|  |  | Swastika pottery markings 12th - 13th C. |
| Swastika mark from Western Volyn |  |
| Swastika markins from Western Ukraine 13th C. |
|  | Trykwer pottery design |
| Swastika belt buckle from Kievan Rus |
| The symbol of Swastika was also popular with the nobility. Ever since pagan times, this sign was painted on the shields of warriors. Accorgin to chronicles, prince Oleg/Helgi who in the 9th century with his Rus wikings had captured Constantinople, had nailed his shiled to the cities cates, which had a large red Swaskika painted on it.The noble house of Boreyko from Kyiv region also had Swastikas as thier coat of arms. The family had reached its greatness in the 14-15th centruries and their crest can be seen in many heraldy books produced at that time. |
| Coat of arms used by Borejko family from Kyiv 14-15th C. Variation of the arms used by other branch of the family |
| Borejko and his men |