Black Sea (Black Sea)
"The settlement of Berezan, initially known by the name of Borysthenes, was the first link in a chain of poleis that appeared on the northern coast of the Pontus. Together with other city-states, Berezan became an active participant in the culture and expansion of the ancient Greeks in the northern Black Sea and in the transmission of Greek culture across the vast forest and steppe territory of Scythia.
As a zone of contact and interaction between Greeks and indigenous peoples, located in the middle of Herodotus' Scythia, Borysthenes became a powerful magnet, drawing representatives of different tribes into its economic and political sphere." (Solovyov, 1999: XIII-XIV)
The estuaries of the rivers (Bug, Dnieper, Istros) were favoured by the newcomers (mainly Milesians). "The islet of Berezan and the city of Olbia, opposite, are close to the mouths of the Bug (Hypanis) and the Dnieper (Borysthenes), and Berezan should be identified with the Milesian emporion of the Borysthenites mentioned by Herodotus (IV,17,24 and 78)." (Gras, 1998:62, Mediterrâneo Arcaico)
Relationship between ásty and khóra
Map of the surroundings of Berezan/Olbia.
Greek occupation on the Black Sea was very dense: around Olbia, for example, 107 Archaic sites have been found, including settlements, necropoleis and farmsteads (Gras, 1998)
Forms of occupation of the ásty
Reconstructions and photographs of the houses.
Plan of the Late Archaic block of houses (north-west sector).
Graphic reconstruction of Late Archaic pit 41.
House 2.
House 4.
House 8: remains of walls and pits.
Late Archaic block of houses (north-west sector).
North façade of house 4.
Column base stone in house 8.
House 2.
House 4.Heating system of the houses.
Late Archaic brazier in a pit.Plan of the Late Archaic block of houses (north-west sector).
Late Archaic kiln in a pit.
Kiln of the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.Photograph of the archaeological sites of the pit houses and reconstructions.
Graphic reconstruction of Late Archaic pit 41.
The Classical pits: sections (48, 52, 57) and reconstruction (48).House 8: remains of walls and pits.Late Archaic block of houses (north-west sector).
Late Archaic pit 47.
Classical pit house 72 (north-west sector).
Pit of the Roman period.
Pit 48, Classical period.Plan of the houses.
"The standing remains covered an area of 100–200 m² (possibly a little more) and consisted of several living areas for the inhabitants of the house, grouped in various ways around the courtyard." (Solovyov: 1999)
Plan of the Late Archaic block of houses (north-west sector).
Plan of Late Archaic houses 2 and 4.
Plan of Late Archaic pit 41.
Plan of pit 72.
Plan of the settlement with Classical pits 52, 57 and 48 (north-west sector)
Plan of Roman Berezan with the pit houses (north-west sector).House 8: remains of walls and pits.Late Archaic block of houses (north-west sector).
Late Archaic pit 41.
Remains of house 5 of the last quarter of the 6th century BC.Classical pit house 72 (north-west sector).Pit of the Roman period.Pit 48, Classical period.Reconstructions
Reconstructions of dwellings and burials.
Graphic reconstruction of Late Archaic pit 41.House 2.House 4.
Berezan necropolis, tomb 118 (1984).
Berezan necropolis, tomb 64 (1982).
Berezan necropolis, tomb 94 (1983).
Berezan necropolis, tomb 120 (1984).The Classical pits: sections (48, 52, 57) and reconstruction (48).
Finds from the Classical pits.Forms of occupation of the ásty
Plan of the houses with their wells.
Plan of the Late Archaic block of houses (north-west sector).
Blocks of houses in the north-west sector.
Well in the courtyard of house 3.Forms of occupation of the ásty
Space for altars in the houses.
Plan of the Late Archaic block of houses (north-west sector).
Plans of the houses in the north-west sector.Forms of occupation of the ásty
Plans of the ásty of Berezan with its urban planning.
Today it has become clear that the urbanisation of the Berezan settlement, carried out in a short period of time, could not have been implemented without massive Greek immigration. So far, without doubt, Greeks from Ionia (predominantly from Miletus) were the first settlers. Thus the new inhabitants of Berezan had the political organisation of a city-state, which is hard to doubt (Solovyov: 1999)
Graphic representation of the finds from the island of Berezan (Lapin 1978).
Reconstruction of the urban planning of the city in the Late Archaic period.
Diagram of the development of the settlement area of ancient Berezan.Museum
Marble tablets with dedications and hymns to Achilles.
According to Solovyov, the sanctuary of Achilles was under the protection of the polis of Olbia (1999)
Marble plaque with the hymn to Achilles Pontarches, second half of the 1st century AD…
Marble plaque with a dedication to Achilles Pontarches, beginning of the 2nd century AD…
Marble plaque with a dedication to Achilles Pontarches, first half of the 2nd century AD…Forms of occupation of the ásty
Map of the necropolis and its tombs.
Map of the lower Bug region, highlighting the archaeological sites of the Olbia region…
Berezan necropolis. (Lapin 1966).Berezan necropolis, tomb 118 (1984).Berezan necropolis, tomb 64 (1982).Berezan necropolis, tomb 94 (1983).Berezan necropolis, tomb 120 (1984).Borders
Maps of the coast of southern Scythia.
The Dnieper-Bug estuary region on the north-western coast of the Black Sea.
The estuaries of the rivers (Bug, Dnieper, Istros) were favoured by the newcomers (mainly Milesians). The islet of Berezan and the city of Olbia, opposite, are close to the mouths of the Bug (Hypanis) and the Dnieper (Borysthenes), and Berezan should be identified with the Milesian emporion of the Borysthenites mentioned by Herodotus (IV,17,24 and 78) (Gras, 1998)
Greek occupation on the Black Sea was very dense: around Olbia, for example, 107 Archaic sites have been found, including settlements, necropoleis and farmsteads (Gras, 1998)
Map of the north-west coast of the Black Sea locating the apoikiai of Istria, Olbia and…Map of the lower Bug region, highlighting the archaeological sites of the Olbia region…