Naples-Scythian inside
The modern city of Simferopol is the political, economic and cultural center of the Republic of Crimea. At the same time, he has an interesting history, rooted deep into the centuries - already in the second and third millennia BC, when the Naples-Scythian flourished in its place. Then it was destroyed by barbarians. After millennia, another city was founded here - Simferopol. It happened in 1784, and in 2016 he already turned 232.
On the banks of the Salgir
The capital of the Republic of Crimea is widely and spaciously located on the banks of the Salgir River, the longest on the peninsula (232 kilometers, with a catchment area of 3,750 square kilometers, although there are those who claim that this area is 4,040 square kilometers).
True, in the summer time beyond Simferopol the reservoir even dries up in places for a couple or three months, since it is not deep - it does not reach two meters in the most favorable time, and naturally it grows shallow in the heat. While the most full-flowing river on the peninsula is considered to be the Belbek river with a catchment basin almost eight times smaller, formed from the confluence of Ozenbash and Monagotra and in places three hundred meters wide at a depth of one hundred and sixty. But it is Salgir that most often worries scientists, including the world, namely with its unexpected archaeological artifacts.
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It was in the area of this river that two sites of primitive people were found, dating back to the Paleolithic, which scientists named "Chokurcha -1" and "Chokurcha-2". Studies have shown that the first people settled here 40-50 thousand years ago. They were engaged in agriculture, cattle breeding, pottery and other crafts were well developed. But the most amazing discovery by archaeologists was made in 1827, when plates with images of horsemen and inscriptions in Greek were found on the site of present-day Simferopol. Among them, and with the face of Tsar Skilur - the ruler of the Late Scythian kingdom with the capital of Naples-Scythian just on the site of the present center of the now capital of the Republic of Crimea. At that time, far from us, the Scythian state in the southeast bordered on the Bosporus kingdom, in the south - on the Taurus inhabiting the Crimean mountains,in the north, it included the Lower Dnieper regions, where coins with the image of the king Ski-Lur were minted, and in the west, the borders reached the harbors with the settlements of ancient Greece Kalos-Limen (Beautiful harbor) and Kerks-Netida. The capital of the Late Scythian state then became Naples-Scythian. The highest prosperity and power of Scythia Minor reached in the second century BC, when it was ruled by the king Skilur. The late Scythian state of the third century BC is mentioned, in particular, in the geography of Strabo, in the so-called Chersonesus decree of the second century BC. The highest prosperity and power of Scythia Minor reached in the second century BC, when it was ruled by the king Skilur. The late Scythian state of the third century BC is mentioned, in particular, in the geography of Strabo, in the so-called Chersonesus decree of the second century BC. The highest prosperity and power of Scythia Minor reached in the second century BC, when it was ruled by the king Skilur. The late Scythian state of the third century BC is mentioned, in particular, in the geography of Strabo, in the so-called Chersonesus decree of the second century BC.
Strabo was a famous person at that time far from us. The most talented ancient Greek historian, akin to Herodotus, the author of "History" (alas, has not survived) and "Geography" in seventeen books, fortunately, survived and by which they still study the location of ancient states, their main cities, the names of rivers, seas, mountains and the like of that era. So, according to Strabo, Naples-Scythian was the capital of Lesser Scythia and it is located near the Salgir River, at the Peter's Heights and in the very center of present-day Simferopol. Then the village of Kermenchik was located there. The area of Naples-Scythian by today's standards was not so great - only 20 hectares. But what! It was a real outpost, insurmountable by the enemies, with a powerful fortress, moats around it, and reliably protected entrance gates. The height of the defensive walls exceeded eight and a half meters. With two towers.
The remains of residential and religious premises were found. Among other things, about two hundred more burials in the rocks, the so-called family crypts, have been investigated. By the way, during the excavation of the settlement, not only a slab with the image of King Skilur was found, but also another - with the face of his son Palak. Archaeologists were amazed at the elegance and high skill of gold and other jewelry found in the rich burials of the nobility. Some of them are real masterpieces. Jewelry from the Scythian burial mounds appeared in the Hermitage even under Peter the Great. They were shown in many capitals of the five continents. And to them there was a real pilgrimage of many millions.
A masterpiece of masterpieces - the Golden crest from the Solokha burial mound. Nineteen teeth (missing two if missing). On the upper part of the ridge made of pure gold, there is a whole battle - a rider with a spear on horseback, armed warriors attack him, One horse has fallen. Picture - you can't take your eyes off! And it should be noted that many hand-made items of the Scythians from precious metals differ in the so-called "animal style". Deer, lions, fantastic birds and other animals are present on weapons, horse harnesses, and even in everyday life - on dishes, cups, and so on. The “animal style” prevails on finds from the Kul-oba mounds. Pavel Shultz made a great contribution to the finds of the Tavro-Scythian expedition in 1926. The skill of the artist and at the same time the artisan of precious metal is simply amazing,sculpted deer in a sacrificial position with bent legs and a sad look as races and found in the mound by Schultz. In a word, Naples-Scythian was not only a city with a royal palace, buildings for public and religious purposes, but also really the capital, where coins were minted, the slave trade was in progress, and in different parts of the state, jewels were made by craftsmen to this day, bringing the world to awe and delight with its sophistication, surprisingly high taste, filigree craftsmanship.and in different parts of the state, craftsmen have made jewelry to this day, bringing the world to awe and delight with its sophistication, amazingly high taste, filigree skill.and in different parts of the state, craftsmen have made jewelry to this day, bringing the world to awe and delight with its sophistication, amazingly high taste, filigree skill.
Unfortunately, civilizations are not eternal. This happened with the Late Scythian state. It lasted six centuries. And disappeared into oblivion from the devastating raids of the Goths, then the Huns. Its capital, Naples-Scythian, was destroyed to the ground, leaving many secrets and mysteries to the descendants.
Risen from ages and ashes
As already mentioned, the remains of the defensive towers, the ancient structures of the capital of Naples-Scythian, were discovered in 1827. Archaeologist I. Blaramberg (1772-1831), founder of the Odessa Museum and director of the Kerch Museum of Antiquities, is involved in the case. Today, the attention of the whole world, our Fatherland, is riveted to the Naples-Scythian. And there was an urgent need to bring the ancient remains into a proper form for subsequent public viewing. This idea was puzzled back in the eightieth year of the last century. Why are they going to build the "Naples-Scythian" pavilion. The authors of the project were architects B. Kondratsky, A. Zorya and archaeologist M. Frondzhulo. The plan was breathtaking! They started to build, but then they stalled. For two decades, the territory of the complex being built was not guarded, Much was taken away:homeless vagabonds lived and hunted there. But then things finally got off the ground. In 1987, the museum complex was completed. And the number of pilgrims to him increases from year to year. Peter's rocks with its famous remains of Naples-Scythian were sent by almost the most visited tourists, including foreign ones. In 2011, it also received its official name - "Historical and Archaeological Reserve" Naples-Scythian ". In July of the same year, the first excursions took place here. The main tasks were scientific, educational and cultural and educational work both among the townspeople and guests of the peninsula. And in 2015, "Naples-Scythian" received the status of a cultural heritage site of federal significance. And the number of pilgrims to him increases from year to year. Peter's rocks with its famous remains of Naples-Scythian were sent by almost the most visited tourists, including foreign ones. In 2011, it also received its official name - "Historical and Archaeological Reserve" Naples-Scythian ". In July of the same year, the first excursions took place here. The main tasks were scientific, educational and cultural and educational work both among the townspeople and guests of the peninsula. And in 2015, "Naples-Scythian" received the status of a cultural heritage site of federal significance. And the number of pilgrims to him increases from year to year. Peter's rocks with its famous remains of Naples-Scythian were sent by almost the most visited tourists, including foreign ones. In 2011, it also received its official name - "Historical and Archaeological Reserve" Naples-Scythian ". In July of the same year, the first excursions took place here. The main tasks were scientific, educational and cultural and educational work both among the townspeople and guests of the peninsula. And in 2015, "Naples-Scythian" received the status of a cultural heritage site of federal significance. In 2011, it also received its official name - "Historical and Archaeological Reserve" Naples-Scythian ". In July of the same year, the first excursions took place here. The main tasks were scientific, educational and cultural and educational work both among the townspeople and guests of the peninsula. And in 2015, "Naples-Scythian" received the status of a cultural heritage site of federal significance. In 2011, it also received its official name - "Historical and Archaeological Reserve" Naples-Scythian ". In July of the same year, the first excursions took place here. The main tasks were scientific, educational and cultural and educational work both among the townspeople and guests of the peninsula. And in 2015, "Naples-Scythian" received the status of a cultural heritage site of federal significance.
Museums also tell about Naples-Scythian
There are more than a dozen of them in the capital of the Republic of Crimea. There are, of course, with Naples-Scythian and not at all connected - the name of Selvinsky or, for example, the history of the development of electric transport or a railway junction, others are also much visited. But there are also those that vividly and figuratively reflect all the greatness of the centuries-old history of the peninsula, in which it is possible to expand the range of knowledge about the time long gone into oblivion. The Crimean Ethnographic Museum has more than ten thousand exhibits, step by step telling about different periods of the peninsula's existence. There are even more of them in the Central Museum of Taurida, opened back in 1887 - 100 thousand exhibits, where everyone can learn a lot about the ancient land: the guides are very aware of this, and willingly share their knowledge with visitors. Popular Museum of Archeology is popular - more than 5, 5 thousand interesting exhibits,including stone tools, which are 250-300 years old with a hook. The expositions will tell you in detail about the peoples inhabiting and currently inhabiting Crimea: Taurus, Cimmerians, Scythians, Sormats, Polovtsy or modern - Russians, Ukrainians, Tatars - more than a hundred nationalities and nationalities live on the peninsula as a friendly family. One cannot ignore the Museum of the History of Simferopol, or the Public Museum of History, the Republican Crimean Tatar Museum. After visiting them and examining the exposition, you will bit by bit collect everything of value that is associated with the present day of Simferopol and with the distant past of Naples-Scythian, which once settled on the site of the present capital of Crimea near the Salgir River, on the Petrovsky Heights, where the remains of the fortress were first discovered - the capital of Scythia Minor, founded in the second century BC and existed no less,but for six whole centuries, which, alas, not many main cities of different countries and different continents succeed!
By decree of Catherine the Great
Indeed, in 1784 the peninsula finally and irrevocably under the name of the Taurida province, freed from the Ottoman Empire, became an outpost of Russia on the Black Sea, or, as they say today, a strategically important fortress, an unsinkable aircraft carrier. And our Empress Catherine the Great contributed a lot to this, laying the first stone in its foundation. It was she who issued the decree on the birth of the "city of benefit", as translated from the local dialect of Simferopol. And she even visited it in 1787 and prayed, including its prosperity in the Church of Constantine and Helena. In memory of her, the Palace of Count Vorontsov remained in the capital of Crimea as an estate for the then governor, Prince Naryshkin. Moreover, with a magnificent garden around. The famous architect of that time F. Elson (another Vorontsov Palace in Alupka was built according to his project) and P. Pallas, a traveler, geographer, botanist, naturalist, and a person with other scientific titles. The palace is a truly historical place: the royal family, headed by Nicholas the First, Tsarevich Alexander, who later became emperor and the famous Russian poet Konstantin Zhukovsky, the mentor of the growing Sovereign, also visited it. Now both the Vorontsov Palace and the botanical garden were transferred to the Tavrichesk National University, and are its pride. As for Simferopol itself, it has repeatedly changed its names. In particular, after the death of Catherine the Great, the new Tsar Paul the First renamed it Ak-mosque (he had such a name before), but Emperor Alexander the First ordered by his decree, as in deceased mother, to call him as before - Simferopol.