Settlement of the White Croats

The settlement of the White Croats is located near the villages of Ilov, Dubrova and Stolsko in Lviv region. It is one of the largest places inhabited by the White Croats on the territory of Ukraine. The settlement dates back to the IX-X centuries and is a complex of stone walls and remnants of dwellings, testifying to a high level of engineering skill and organization. The area of the settlement reaches about 250 hectares, which makes it one of the largest settlements in Eastern Europe. The White Croats, as part of the early Slavic tribes, left a rich cultural heritage, traditions and pagan rites. Artifacts found by archaeologists, including ceramics, tools, jewelry and weapons, speak of close trade and cultural ties with neighboring regions. The Stolskoye settlement served not only as an administrative center, but also as an important spiritual site with sanctuaries or sacrificial altars. After the territory was incorporated into Kievan Rus, the ancient settlement gradually lost its significance, but it still remains an amazing place of Slavic history. Today the caves of the White Croats are an object of cultural and historical significance, attracting the attention of archaeologists, tourists and researchers. They are also an important object of research into the history of Slavic peoples and their settlement in the Carpathian region.