Ancient Greek pottery discovered on building site in sea

Record ID: 128126

  • Title: Ancient Greek pottery discovered on building site in sea
  • Date: 20th November 2015
  • Summary: KERCH, CRIMEA (NOVEMBER 19, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CONSTRUCTION AT SEA SHORE VARIOUS OF BRIDGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION KERCH, CRIMEA (RECENT) (VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DRONE FOOTAGE OF BRIDGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION (MUTE) AT SEA (RECENT) (REUTERS) BOAT AT SEA DIVER JUMPING IN WATER DIVER UNDER WATER VARIOUS OF UNDERWATER FOOTAGE OF EXCAVATION VARIOUS OF ARCHAEOLOGIST SERGEI OLKHOVSKY COORDINATING UNDERWATER WORKS UNDERWATER FOOTAGE OF EXCAVATION MAN LIFTING BUCKET WITH POTTERY FRAGMENTS FROM SEA POTTERY FRAGMENTS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ARCHAEOLOGY INSTITUTE RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, SERGEI OLKHOVSKY, SAYING: "(This is) an object of archaeological heritage which is a massive accumulation of ceramic material mainly dating back to VI-I centuries B.C A territory of this accumulation is very large but in this season we hope to clear certain areas of the seabed for the construction of temporary bridge pillars." VARIOUS OF RESEARCHER WASHING RECOVERED PIECES OF POTTERY VARIOUS OF CRANE AT SEA KERCH, CRIMEA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF RESEARCHERS COUNTING RECOVERED POTTERY FRAGMENTS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SENIOR ASSOCIATE AT ANCIENT HISTORY DEPARTMENT OF TAURIC CHERSONESE NATURAL RESERVE, IRINA AVERINA, SAYING: "Northern Black Sea region has been colonised by the Greeks since the VII century B.C. And this way historically famous settlements and polises appeared: Bosporan Kingdom, Panticapaeum with its capital, Theodosia, Pontic Olbia which is translated as The Happy One, Chersonesus, Nymphaion, Tyritake - all the settlements which are here in our region." VARIOUS OF POTTERY (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) CERAMICS PROCESSING LABORATORY SPECIALIST, ALEXEI KULIKOV, SAYING: "This is an amphora of approximately Diogenes times, IV century B.C. The amphoras had a volume of 12-15 litres. And as you can see they were covered inside with a layer of black tar. It is preserved well under water and usually not so well ashore." VARIOUS OF ANCIENT POTTERY KERCH, CRIMEA (RECENT) (VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EVENING SHOTS OF BRIDGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION (MUTE)
  • Embargoed: 5th December 2015 10:40
  • Keywords: Russia Crimea bridge Kerch archeology ceramics ancient
  • Location: KERCH, CRIMEA, AT SEA
  • City: KERCH, CRIMEA, AT SEA
  • Country: Various
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA0013A7V8M1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:EDITORS NOTE: THIS EDIT IS PART MUTE
    As Russia launched construction of a 19-kilometre bridge over the Kerch Strait linking Russia directly with Crimea, archaeologists descended to the bottom of the sea to look for ancient Greek artefacts, left there by inhabitants of settlements dating back to IV-I B.C.
    Under discussion for years, a bridge linking southern Russia's Krasnodar region with Crimea would give Russia a transport link to the prized Black Sea peninsula that would bypass Ukraine.
    As construction of the first temporary bridge got underway archaeologists combed the seabed for ancient artefacts.
    "(This is) an object of archaeological heritage which is a massive accumulation of ceramic material mainly dating back to VI-I centuries B.C. A territory of this accumulation is very large but in this season we hope to clear certain areas of the seabed for the construction of temporary bridge pillars," said Oleg Olkhovsky from Russian Archaeology Institute.
    For centuries merchant ships crossed the Kerch Strait carrying amphoras with goods from the Mediterranean Sea through the Black Sea to the ports on the Sea of Azov. Upon arrival Greeks threw broken amphoras into the sea, therefore large amount of ceramic pieces covers the seabed of the Kerch strait.
    Olkhovsky said the origin of ceramics found at the construction site is still unknown and that artefacts were probably moved to their current location in the 1960s as the result of ground works to deepen the bed of the Kerch strait.
    Among the artefacts found were examples of black-figure pottery, marked amphoras and other vessels, dinnerware sets. Many of the findings were in good condition and after restoration could be exhibited in museums across Russia.
    Crimea, known as Tauris in the ancient times, was for centuries populated by Greeks.
    "Northern Black Sea region has been colonised by the Greeks since the VII century B.C. And this way historically famous settlements and polises appeared: Bosporan Kingdom, Panticapaeum with its capital, Theodosia, Pontic Olbia which is translated as The Happy One, Chersonesus, Nymphaion, Tyritake - all the settlements which are here in our region," said Irina Averina, researcher with the History department of the Tauric Chersonese Natural Reserve founded by Dorian Greeks in the 5th century BC and added to UNESCO World Heritage List.
    "This is an amphora of approximately Diogenes times, IV century B.C. The amphoras had a volume of 12-15 litres. And as you can see they were covered inside with a layer of black tar. It is preserved well under water and usually not so well ashore," said Alexei Kulikov, specialist in ancient ceramics. He said that artefacts found at sea are usually better preserved than those found on shore.
    The construction of the bridge which will connect the road and railway networks of Russia and Crimea is expected to be finished by the end of 2018.
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