An associate professor from the department donated a family heirloom to the museum
The Batenko family donated a carriage trunk to the Kherson Regional Museum of Local Lore—a piece that had been kept in the family for decades and had traveled the roads of the Kherson Governorate
Hanna Viacheslavivna and Vadym Viktorovych Batenko have donated a 19th-century family carriage chest (*kufer*) to the collections of the Kherson Regional Museum of Local History.
According to family tradition, the chest dates back to the first half of the 19th century. It accompanied an ancestor of Mr. Vadym—Moisei Fedorovych Belimov, a participant in the 1828 siege of the Kars fortress. Subsequently, the chest was passed down through generations, traveling across the Kherson region before eventually being brought to the city of Kherson.
The object is notable for its sturdy construction and decorative metal fittings. It features four handles, shaped legs, metal plating, a complex internal lock with a key, and a special compartment for documents and valuables.
A particularly interesting detail is the memory of the lock’s unusual "musical" mechanism: according to Vadym Batenko, turning the key produced a distinctive chiming sound.
This carriage chest serves not only as a fascinating example of 19th-century material culture but also as a valuable testament to family heritage and the history of the Kherson region.