Under the energy bridge, which is currently being built between mainland Russia and the Republic of Crimea, the builders came across an object of an unknown ancient civilization. In connection with this finding, it was decided to temporarily suspend the work on the construction of the bridge. Not far from the village of Ilyich in the west of the Krasnodar Territory, at a depth of about six meters, a complex for collecting fresh water was discovered.
Representatives of the Eastern Bosporan archaeological expedition organized by the Russian Academy of Sciences are convinced that the found object is the oldest of its kind throughout our country. Experts suggest that the ancient structure can serve as proof that our distant ancestors, who lived in the Kuban, mastered the art of building hydraulic structures long before the inhabitants of Ancient Greece, who were considered pioneers in this area.
According to preliminary estimates, the catchment complex dates back to the eighth-seventh centuries BC. According to Russian scientists, it is likely that the object was built by a pre-Greek Slavic settlement, while Russian experts have yet to determine which civilization it belongs to.
The complex, cleared by archaeologists, is in excellent condition. Millennia later, it was filled with clean drinking water, as before. Experts took samples from the reservoir and sent them to the St. Petersburg Institute of Material Culture for laboratory analysis.
The ancient drainage complex is represented by several stone reservoirs, communicating with each other. Representatives of the mysterious Slavic civilization used special two-meter stones, on which, due to the unique local climate, a lot of condensation constantly formed. The water flowed into the main container, where it was accumulated and settled. Then special narrow slots allowed it to penetrate into the connected reservoirs. Thus, enterprising locals have always had sufficient supplies of clean drinking water, which is naturally filtered through a stone. Scientists believe that this reservoir supplied life-giving moisture to an entire large settlement.
Fortunately, the excavations will not delay the construction of the energy bridge, which is so necessary for the Russian peninsula. After the archaeologists have finished their research, the builders will start working on a heightened schedule. The found reservoir will have to become the foundation of the future bridge, but by that time scientists will thoroughly investigate the find and get all the information they need.