Archaeologists in the Krasnodar Territory discovered in a tomb of the 1st century AD a glass vessel - balsamarium, in which the liquid poured during burial is still stored, Vladimir Kuznetsov, head of the Fanagoria archaeological expedition, told TASS.
He explained that during excavations at the Eastern necropolis of the ancient city of Phanagoria (the second capital of the ancient Bosporus kingdom), scientists discovered a tomb from the Roman period, which, judging by the remains of luxurious utensils, belonged to wealthy and noble townspeople. Seven sarcophagi with the bodies of adults and children were found in the crypt.
“The find in the sarcophagus of a Phanagorian warrior-horseman of a large glass balsamarium filled with a liquid of unknown origin is unique. The contents of hundreds of similar vessels found earlier in Phanagoria were not preserved; they were all empty or filled with soil that had penetrated into the vessel over two millennia. The balsamarium found with the warrior is half filled with a transparent liquid, a dark sediment is visible at its bottom. For the first time, both I and my colleagues meet such that the liquid in the vessel is preserved,”said Kuznetsov.
The scientist explained that the vessel had been in the sarcophagus in which the soldier was buried for about 2 thousand years. The neck of the bottle was initially closed with a cork, and later, when the vault of the crypt collapsed, it was hermetically sealed with clay. Such vessels were often used in the cities of the Bosporus kingdom in the funeral ceremony, and with the help of the find, scientists hope to reveal the secret of the contents of the balsamariums. To analyze the substance in the vessel, it is planned to send the rare find to Moscow.
Another hermetically sealed vessel - a burial urn, presumably containing ashes - was discovered at the entrance to the tomb. “It is known from ancient texts that in the ancient era, the bones that survived after cremation were carefully collected and washed with wine, and then, together with the ashes, were carefully placed in a burial urn. In the future, X-ray examinations of the contents of the vessel are planned. With the help of modern methods, we hope, it will be possible to study the contents of the vessel in its original form,”noted Kuznetsov.
Also in the tomb were found graceful vessels made of Roman glass, high-quality red-lacquered dishes, brooches (clasps that fastened clothes) and pins, gold stripes from robes and funeral wreaths, many ornaments, including pendants from Egyptian faience: figurines in the form of frogs, sacred to Ancient Egypt scarab beetles and others. The decorations indicate that in the 1st-2nd centuries AD, the Bosporus kingdom fell under the influence of Rome.
Ancient warrior
Promotional video:
Special attention, according to Kuznetsov, also deserves one of those buried in the tomb - a warrior-horseman. The young man was buried with a sword, the wooden hilt of the sword was put into the hand of the deceased warrior. Such weapons were often depicted on funeral steles as the main element of the weaponry of the Bosporan horsemen. The blade was well suited for chopping blows, which is important for a warrior who fought astride a war horse.
“The 1st century AD is a time when a war for the throne was going on inside the state. At the same time, tribes of barbarians lived near the borders of the Bosporus kingdom, who actually lived at the expense of the kingdom. The fact that we have found this warrior gives us a perspective for understanding this time, Kuznetsov said.
Phanagoria is an ancient city founded in the 6th century BC on the Taman Peninsula. Later it became the capital of the Asian part of the Bosporus kingdom, created by the Greeks on the basis of colonial cities on the shores of the Black and Azov seas. In the IV century AD, the warlike tribes of the Huns expelled the Greeks from the territory of the Taman Peninsula.
Archaeological excavations on the territory of the ancient city have been conducted since the 19th century, at present excavations are carried out annually, Phanagoria is studied by scientists of various specializations. In 2012, with the support of the Volnoe Delo Foundation of Oleg Deripaska, a scientific and cultural center was created on Taman, and the work of the Fanagoria archaeological expedition is also financed.