The found artifact, according to experts, has no analogues in the Northern Black Sea region
In the Kerch Bay near Cape Ak-Burun, archaeologists have found an artifact that claims to be unique. During underwater excavations of a cluster of ancient ceramics in the area of the construction of the Crimean Bridge, they discovered a large fragment of a terracotta sculpture in the shape of a man's head. This is probably an image of an ancient Greek deity, made in the form of a bust or statue.
- According to our data, this find is unique for the Northern Black Sea region, it has not yet been possible to find its analogues. To clarify its functional purpose, origin and dating, we will involve leading experts in ancient Greek art and conduct laboratory studies of the composition of clay. At the moment, we believe that the terracotta head was made in Asia Minor in the 5th century BC, - said Sergei Olkhovsky, head of the underwater detachment of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The mask is displayed in the most prominent place in the museum. Photo: Anastasia MEDYNTSEV
Mass production of terracotta products by the method of printing in a matrix spread widely as early as the 6th century BC. Usually figurines no more than 40 cm high with a wall thickness of up to one centimeter were made this way. This made it possible to carry out high-quality firing of such items, archaeologists explain. However, the fragment of terracotta found by archaeologists belongs to a much more massive piece.
Photo: Infocenter “ Crimean Bridge ”.
The archaeological study of the "ceramic field" at Cape Ak-Burun began at the design stage of the Crimean Bridge, and in two years large-scale rescue underwater excavations were carried out on the specified sections of the bottom, the Crimean Bridge Information Center said.
The Kerch Museum has everything about the Crimean Bridge. Photo: Anastasia MEDYNTSEVA / kp.ru
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More than 60 thousand finds have been raised to the surface. These are mainly large fragments of ceramic vessels made in the Mediterranean and Asia Minor in the 5th century BC - III century AD.
Finds from excavations at Cape Tuzla. Photo: Anastasia MEDYNTSEVA / kp.ru
Peliki. Red-figure painting. Photo: Anastasia MEDYNTSEVA / kp.ru
Kanfar and the lamp. Photo: Anastasia MEDYNTSEVA / kp.ru
Two diving stations are operating on the "ceramic field" under the guidance of archaeologists. Excavations of sediments are carried out by hand to reduce the risk of damaging fragile archaeological finds. Only after the archaeologists finish work on the next site, it is handed over to the builders.
Experts claim to have found only 0.1% of unique objects. Photo: Anastasia MEDYNTSEVA / kp.ru
The underwater team of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences plans to complete the rescue operation at Cape Ak-Burun by the summer. All finds undergo cameral processing and study, after which they are transferred to the funds of the East Crimean Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve. The terracotta head has now been added to the exposition of the exhibition “Crimean Bridge. Fantastic reality."
Model of the Crimean bridge in the museum. Photo: Anastasia MEDYNTSEVA / kp.ru
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The Kerch Bay (in the Kerch Strait) near Cape Ak-Burun has been the main transshipment base on the trade route from the Mediterranean to the Sea of Azov for more than two thousand years. During sea transportation, part of the ceramic container was often broken, and when unloading at the port, damaged amphoras and dishes were often thrown into the sea. So, at the ancient berths, whole deposits of ceramics of different times gradually formed. In the 1970s, extensive dredging works were carried out in the Kerch Bay so that vessels with a large draft could approach the berths of the modern port. Significant volumes of bottom sediments containing ceramics were displaced into shallow waters off Cape Ak-Burun. This is how a ceramic cluster was formed, a full-scale study of which began as part of the Crimean Bridge project.
All finds are kept in the art gallery of the city of Kerch. Photo: Anastasia MEDYNTSEVA / kp.ru
Anastasia Khorosheva