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Central State Historical Archive of Ukraine, Kyiv (TsDIAK of Ukraine)

One of the oldest and largest central state archives of Ukraine, preserving unique documentary holdings on the history of Ukraine and Crimea from the 14th to the early 20th century.

Overview

TsDIAK of Ukraine holds rich fonds on the history of the Zaporizhian Cossacks, the Hetmanate, and the Crimean Khanate. Among the key fonds of the archive concerning the relations between Ukrainian lands and Crimea are fonds 51 ("General Military Chancellery"), 59 ("Kyiv Gubernial Chancellery"), and 229 ("Archive of the Host of the New Zaporizhian Sich").

The documents of TsDIAK of Ukraine are a fundamental source for refuting imperial myths about the exclusively raid-based nature of relations between the Cossacks and Crimean Tatars, revealing diplomatic protocol, trade and economic ties, and the shared use of salt works.

Key Details / Subtopics

  • Key fonds on Crimean topics:
  • Fond 229: Archive of the Host of the New Zaporizhian Sich (1734–1775) — contains original letters from Crimean khans, kaymakans, and supervisors of the salt lakes (imeny) to the Zaporizhian koshevyi otamans.
  • Fond 51: General Military Chancellery — trade affairs, regulation of chumak salt-and-trade caravans.
  • Fond 59: Kyiv Gubernial Chancellery — passports for the transit of chumaks through the outposts (including the Mykytyn outpost).
  • Researchers: The lead researcher of the archive Oleksandr Ponomarov introduced into scholarly circulation a number of unique TsDIAK documents on trade and economic ties and diplomatic protocol of the 18th century.