This dissertation is about the topical issue of Ukrainian historical studies, namely, research on the origin and development of administrative and territorial units' coat of arms in Ukraine through the present day. This work has been done based on the selection, systematization, and comparative analysis of an extensive collection of resource materials. The scientific novelty of the dissertation lies in the fact that this is the first attempt in Ukrainian historiography to generalize the evolution of territorial coat of arms as a holistic phenomenon. Many new sources are introduced to scientific circulation. For the first time, the range of theoretical issues is also addressed, the objective of modern territorial heraldry in Ukraine is defined, and the implementation of a comprehensive program for further development is introduced. The issue of Ukrainian territorial heraldry origin and evolution remains practically unexplored in Ukrainian historiography. It is especially true for research on main trends in the development of territorial heraldry. The other important issue is scientific research of main principles in the establishment of modern Ukrainian heraldry, which became especially relevant after Ukraine regained its independence. Chronologically, this paper covers the 13th century through the beginning of the 21st century. Such a significant period of time was chosen due to the necessity to comprehensively trace the development of Ukrainian territorial heraldry from the time when territorial insignia came into existence until the present. The introduction includes statements about relevance, goal, objectives, chronological framework, and methodology of the research. The first chapter analyzes the status of the scientific development of the topic in Ukrainian, Polish, Russian, and Austrian historiography. Many sources are used in this paper, a significant part of which are introduced for the first time to the scientific community. Mostly originals and copies of archive documents, sphragistic heritage, and personal libraries of heraldic researchers were studied. The second chapter examines the origin and main principles of the territorial coat-of-arms development at early stages. It is important to determine the principle socio-political function of coat of arms as symbols of administrative and territorial formations, as well as the establishment of major areas of their application. This paper identifies particularities of the stages of the territorial heraldry development, showing the increase of importance of these insignia as ideological symbols at the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century. Significant attention is paid to the development of local heraldry in Left-bank Ukraine after the national liberation war under the banner of B. Khmelnytsky and with the formation of the regimental-company administrative system. Data from documental memoirs is compared with seals and other sources. This approach is especially important for the critical assessment of materials. The third chapter reviews the particularities of further evolution of the territorial coat of arms under new socio-political conditions. It focuses on the preservation of Ukrainian territorial heraldry originality in the areas, which became part of the Russian empire. It also focuses on formalism of the first imperial approvals, since most of the old coats of arms were reapproved. The process of coat-of-arms development at the end of the 18th century and in the western parts of Ukraine, occupied by the Austrian empire, was similar. The 19th century coat of arms started to reflect political trends. In the Russian empire, attempts were made to develop rules for a single system of symbol presentations. For Ukrainian heraldry, an important stage is the establishment of national symbols in 1917-1920. The last chapter examines the development of territorial heraldry in the last 20 years. A qualitatively different period in the development of the Ukrainian territorial heraldry started in 1990 with the establishment of the Ukrainian Heraldic Society, which works on the main trends in modern heraldry. It gives detailed analysis of main stages in the adoption of new Ukrainian state symbols, as well as symbols of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and other regions; it also gives general illustration of modern symbol formations in administrative districts. Critical review of historic coat of arms and application of single norms for new heraldic creative work will give the opportunity to create a scientifically-based system of territorial heraldry. The paper also focuses on the revival of territorial insignia traditions. The main ideas of the research are concluded in comprehensive findings that summarize the scientific research. They also formulate the main objectives of modern Ukrainian territorial heraldry.
