Report on gorgippia. Ancient city of Gorgippia

Works of art are everything that is the result of human labor activity. Material sources, unlike written ones, do not contain a direct account of historical events, and historical conclusions based on them are the result of scientific reconstruction.

The significant originality of material sources has necessitated their study by archaeological specialists who excavate archaeological sites, examine and publish findings and results of excavations, and use these data to reconstruct the historical past of mankind. Archeology is of particular importance for the study of eras when there was no written language at all, or the history of those peoples who did not have writing even in later historical times.

Archeology has unusually expanded the spatial and temporal horizon of history. Writing has existed for about 5,000 years, and the entire previous period of human history (equal, according to the latest data, almost 2 million years) became known only thanks to the development of archeology. And written sources for the first 2 thousand years of their existence (Egyptian hieroglyphs, linear Greek writing, Babylonian cuneiform) were opened to science by archaeologists. Archeology is also important for the eras when writing existed, for the study of ancient and medieval history, since information gleaned from the study of material sources significantly complements the data from written sources.

All historical and cultural monuments known in Russia and in the world have

Great value (primarily for the residents of the region themselves). A special place among them is occupied by archaeological monuments, which include the remains of ancient settlements (fortifications, settlements, fortifications), ancient burial mounds, remains of industries, ancient roads, canals, ancient burial places, individual sections of the historical, cultural layer of settlements.

One of the archaeological sites discussed in this work is the city of Gorgippia.

Gorgippia (Greek Γοργιππία) is antique city, today Gorgippia is located on the territory of modern Anapa.

The ancient settlement is located in the center modern city Anapa. City blocks and rich burials have been partially excavated.

A museum-reserve has been created in Anapa

Nickname "Gorgippia" under open air, where stone-paved streets, foundations and walls of dwellings, remains of workshops, wineries, fish farms are presented

Salt baths, marble slabs with inscriptions, sarcophagi of local nobility recovered from the necropolis, etc.

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2. History of the ancient city of Gorgippia

The German philosopher Hegel called Greek antiquity “a quickly flying rose.” One of the outlying petals of this amazing flower was a Greek colony founded on the shores of Anapa Bay in the second half of the 6th century BC on the land of local Sind tribes. City but

Strength name Syndic.

Later, Greeks appeared in Sindik - immigrants from Asia Minor. They lived peacefully with the Sindhi, they were united by joint trade, crafts, and the need to defend themselves from enemy attacks. This forced the Greek colonies neighboring Sindica, Fanogoria, Kepa, Patus and other policies located on both sides Kerch Strait(Cimmerian Bosporus) to unite into one state - the Bosporus Kingdom.

The city of Gorgippia arose no later than the beginning of the 5th century. BC. and was built as a result of the following events.

King Leukon (390-348 BC) sent his brother Gorgippus to Sindica as a governor, who stopped the internecine wars and subjugated the Sindian tribes to the Bosporus. Under Tsar Gorgippa, the planning of residential areas was carried out, active construction began, and crafts developed. At the suggestion of the orator Demosthenes in Athens, a statue of Gorgippus was erected on the agora for special services to the metropolis. In his honor the city was named Gorgippia.

The economic basis for the development of the city and the well-being of its citizens was Agriculture. In the vicinity of Gorgippia, wheat, barley, millet, lentils, legumes, grapes were grown, sheep were raised,

Goats, cattle, horses, pigs, poultry. It happened once

Vito winemaking and fish-salting production.

Various crafts were developed in the city: stone-masonry, ceramics, woodworking, iron-making, bronze-casting, jewelry, bone-cutting, leather-working, spinning and weaving. Trade played an important role in the economy of the city of Gorgippia.

Gorgippia was ruled by the governor of the Bosporus

Tsar through the system of city magistrates. An important role in the life of the city of Gorgippia was played by the Council and the People, various unions and associations. In honor of the famous

Changeable events on central square mouth

Marble slabs with inscriptions were poured in.

Residents of the city worshiped Zeus, Poseidon, Demeter, Aphrodite, Hermes, Dionysus, Apollo, Ge

Raklu, many other gods of the Greek pantheon, in whose honor majestic temples and sanctuaries were built, statues were erected, and festivals were held

Nicks and sports.

Under Tsar Savromat I at the turn of the 1st-2nd centuries. the city began to recover

Ski fortifications, the city experienced a new construction boom.

The houses of the townspeople, built on stone foundations, had 1-2 floors, with basements and sometimes with courtyards. The houses had 2-4 adjacent

New rooms of different sizes. The smallest one was usually the last one and was used for household needs. The depth of the basements reached 1.5 meters. Some of them were residential. Part of the basements

They cut into rocky ground, the walls were made of poorly processed stones in clay mortar. The floors were adobe. Irregularities of the bolt

They fell with construction waste, filled with fragments of household items. In one of the houses, a section of the floor has been preserved, laid out with pebbles on limestone.

Forge solution. The walls of the houses were built from stone or adobe blocks - bricks, 45-50 cm in size. Wooden rafters were fastened in special grooves. The houses were covered with clay tiles from local outcasts

Burning (on some during excavations the marks “Horus” and “royal” were discovered).

On the first floors, most likely, there were trading shops,

New windows already existed, they were rare here, more often the windows were covered with bullish bubbles. No shards of flat window glass were found.

In 110, the governor of Gorgippia built a temple dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite Navarhide. Monuments to the Bosporan kings and their governors are being built in the city. During the construction of a hotel in Anapa, they found

Breaking of two large marble statues and an entire statue of the governor Neocles.

In the second half of the 2nd - beginning of the 3rd centuries. in Gorgippia, new monumental buildings began to be erected in the city center, a number of cross streets were re-paved, the main highway was lined with stone slabs up to a meter in length

Noah. A system of drains and catchment wells was created.

At this time, the city's shipowners' union erected a statue and restored the temple to the god Poseidon. Flat hos were used for construction

Well fired bricks. One of the semi-basements of this building

Rioda, apparently for residential purposes, had stone, plastered clay

Noah and plastered walls painted with colored stripes on a white background with imitation of variegated marble. Opened basements for household purposes with grain pits, pithos and amphorae - up to 15-20 in one room

Judging by the scope of construction work and area, Gorgippia was second in size

Rome after Phanagoria is a city of Asian cha

Sti of the Bosporan Kingdom. Its cultural flourishing is evidenced by the discovery of a marble stele mentioning 226 people, having won

Shih of victory in sports competitions at festivals in honor of the god Hermes.

At the beginning of the 3rd century, Gorgippia began its own glass production. Continued

Active maritime trade began to develop with all the cities of the Bosporan kingdom. Gore's trading partners

Hippias were Athens and other cities of mainland Greece, prices

Three Mediterranean basins in Chios, Thasos, Rhodes, Lesbos, Knidos, etc.

Nomorskie prices

Three Sinopes, Heraclea, Chersonesos, etc., the cities of Bosporus, the barbarian world. Bread and other agricultural products were exported through the harbor of Gorgippia.

Natural products, wine and olives were brought

Howl oil in amphorae, painted black

Nolakova ke

Frame dishes and products made of bronze, marble, glass, precious metals and stones, aromatic

Czech oils.

But during the city’s greatest prosperity, the situation on the borders of the Bosporan kingdom began to change. To the North

The Black Sea region was invaded by hordes of Goths. Gorgippia was one of the first to take the blows of the barbarians

Men. The city was destroyed in a strong fire soon after

After 238 - layers of this time

They represent conflagrations. Many buildings were destroyed.

A century later, the Huns came to the Bosporus. They completed the destruction

Nie of the once flourishing cities of the Bosporan kingdom. The date of the final destruction of the city of Gorgippia is considered to be approximately 240 AD.

In the middle of the 4th century, life in the city resumed, but to a much lesser extent.

Shay Square. Most of the buildings remained in ruins. In the Middle Ages and in Turkish times, many ancient buildings were destroyed

Branes for building material

Systematic excavations of Gorgippia are carried out by Insti expeditions

Tuta Archeology Academy of Sciences.

Today, the museum of excavations of the ancient city in Anapa, which is described in the second paragraph of the work, reminds us of Gorgippia.

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2. Gorgippia Museum in Anapa

Excavations of Gorgippia began in the middle of the 19th century, with the works of V.G. Tizenhausen, N.I. Veselovsky and others.

In 1949, the expedition of V.D. Blavadsky's boundaries were determined ancient city.

A systematic study of the city began in 1960 by I.T. Circle

Likova, and since 1973 it was continued by E.M. Alekseeva.

To date, expeditions from the Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Sciences have explored significant areas of the city and its burial grounds. Anapa

The Gorgippia Sky Museum and Archaeological Site is the only open-air excavation museum in Russia. Here you can see

How many quarters of Gorgypia from the 2nd - early 3rd centuries AD have been discovered by excavations? and the main street. Its roadway is paved with slabs, and sidewalks line the sides of the houses. The pavement was made at a time when the only means of transport were chariots and oxcarts. Od

However, it turned out to be so strong that even now dump trucks with earth could drive over it.

The street approached the main city gates. Beyond

Lami of the city, it turned into a road connecting it with the trade road

Goy from Crimea to the Caucasian passes.
^ Rice. 8. Remains of ancient streets of the ancient city of Gorgippia

As already mentioned, in the 1st-2nd centuries AD. Gorgippia turned into one of the richest Bosporan cities. The houses of the nobility were located in common

the central city center – the agora. Agora is located in the area of ​​the modern Anapa Hotel. During excavations there were found the remains of buildings

for civil purposes (column drums, fragments of sculptures, dory blocks

chesky order, Sima in the form of a lion's head), tombstones. By accompanying archeo

According to the logical material, the complex dates back to the 4th-3rd centuries. BC.

Remains of the main street were found in a general east-west direction (along the sea) from the eastern gate of the city to its center. Its width reached 8 meters, the surface was covered with small stones, fragments of slabs, large amphora shards - on a cushion of yellow clay on top rock. Found coins of the 4th-3rd centuries. BC. help set the time builder

the quality and functioning of this highway. Parallel to it along the sea ran another street 4-4.5 meters wide, built later. Both of these streets were intersected at right angles by transverse streets running from the sea up to 5 meters wide, which can be seen in the archaeological site - the museum.

Near the former main street of Gorgippia you can see one of the

drainage and water supply systems: the main street laid along the river

artisan quarter, intersects with another, running from north to south. A drainage channel was laid along it under the slabs. He approached a settling well, at the bottom of which garbage remained, and water flowed out from the other side and was discharged into the sea.

You can also see that all the houses occupy significant areas and have large and deep basements. The above-ground parts of the houses have not been preserved.

At its peak, the area of ​​the city occupied approximately 35-38 hectares. Part of the “new city” absorbed the early burial grounds (5th century BC) and covered them. In the 4th century. BC. the city's layout is being formed. Vozve

During this period, the stone buildings were rebuilt many times, with the secondary use of building materials (stones, blocks, slabs). On the first floors of the houses, most likely, there were trading shops,

Crafts workshops. Although in the ancient cities of the Mediterranean there was glass

New windows already existed, but in Gorgippia they were rare; more often the windows were covered with bull bubbles. And no shards of flat window glass were found.

The economic structure of Gorgippia remained constant: the city

Bread, dried and salted fish must be exported, and winemaking becomes a commercial industry. There was a pottery workshop in the eastern part of the city. Wine presses and wineries are located nearby. In the left corner of the excavations, three tanks of a large winery were found,

They could hold up to 6 tons of grape must. The settled juice

They were poured into pithos for fermentation. The finished wine was stored in amphorae. To you

Forakhs also stored grain and oil. In the basement of the house, on the right side

They found 26 amphorae with grain and coins scattered on the floor. Perhaps it was a merchant's shop. Among the found objects there are many ceramics

Liy, clay lamps, household utensils and terracotta figurines, from which we can conclude that coraplasty was developed in Gorgippia - art

The art of making terracotta figurines.

Exhibits found on the territory of Gorgippia can be seen in

The museum's betting halls located in indoors that you can visit.

It is also necessary to mention the sensational discovery. In 1975, in the center of Anapa, while digging a foundation pit for the construction of a 12-story building, a unique monument of ancient culture was discovered - a painted Greek crypt

Sky nobility. The crypt dates back to the end of the 2nd - beginning of the 3rd century and is called Archaeolo

Gami “Crypt of Hercules”, because the twelve labors of Hercules are depicted on the walls and ceiling using fresco technique.

Another crypt with two sarcophagi was discovered nearby. It turned out to be unplundered. One sarcophagus contained the remains of a noble Gorgippian with rich decorations.

Yami. In another sarcophagus, two girls were buried - and also with rich decorations. The finds formed the basis of the “Golden Pantry” Krasnodar

Regional Museum-Reserve.

In 1977, the Gorgippia Museum received archaeological status due to the unique ancient monument of Gorgippia (VI century BC - III century AD). The museum is located in the center of the resort town of Anapa, which allows for extensive cultural and educational work. Since 1960 on the Gorgip research

Piya is working on a stationary expedition of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The crypts of the 3rd century explored by an expedition in 1975. AD marked

UNESCO among the ten outstanding discoveries of the year. The frescoes of the Anapa crypt are the only monument to ancient life in our country.

The museum houses several unique collections from Gorgippia, listed below.

^ Epigraphic monuments .

Tombstone of a Peloponnesian late 6th - early 5th century BC, proxenia - a document granting privileges to a foreign merchant, Bosporus rescripts

King Aspurgus about the reduction of duties on the sale of wheat and millet, an inscription about the construction of walls around Gorgippia to replace those demolished, the time of Sauromatus II, lists of names of Thyasites, monuments of tomb sculpture with inscriptions.

^ Architectural details.

Architrave and frieze of the Dorian order in one stone, the base of the column is from a temple of the 1st century BC; marble blocks of a religious building in honor of the patron god of viticulture and winemaking, Dionysus, with images of the Gorgon Medusa, Pan and Satyr; marble details of the temple of the Corinthian order: ka

Piles, architrave, base.

^ Collection of terracotta figurines.

Includes over 200 images of the Greek gods: Demeter, Kore, Dionysus, Cybele, Aphrodite, Hercules, Hermes, Eros and Psyche. Uni

The stucco terracottas are traditional: a seated priest, a standing warrior.

^ Frescoes of the crypt of "Hercules" 1975.

8 square meters have been restored and are on display. m. frescoes: part of a group portrait of the side wall - boy and man, 4 labors of Hercules: escape

Gives the hydra, fights the Amazon, cleanses the Augean stables, defeats the Stymphalian birds; fragments of paintings on the side walls with ornaments.

^ Collection of amphorae.

Amphoras from different ancient centers: Chios, Lesbos, Corinth, Menda, Rho

Dos, Sinope, Heraclea, Thasos, etc.; collection of amphora stamps - over 1000

^ Beads collection.

Beads, pendants, piercings, amulets made of natural stones and art

Natural materials: rock crystal, carnelian, agate, chalcedony, amber - over 1000 units.

^ Collection of tomb sculptures and sarcophagi.

Tombstones of different types: statues - half-figures, anthropomorphic, re

Reliefs made of marble and limestone - over 200 units in total.

^ Collection of glass vessels.

Bottles, glasses, vials, balsamaria, jugs of transparent and color

No glass from ancient times - about 60 copies.

^ Collection of black-glazed vessels.

Black-figure Clazomenian amphora, canfares, kylixes, skyphos, oh

Nochoi, lekythos, fish dishes, salt shakers - about 70 units in total. whole forms.

^ Collection of antique numismatics.

There are over 7 thousand units, in treasures - 5234 units.

Archaeological finds from the Middle Ages and Turkish times, household items of the inhabitants of the fortress, samples of weapons from different eras, rare photographs

Photographs and unique documents will introduce you to the past of Anapa.

^

Conclusion

So, Gorgippia is currently a museum and archaeological site.

The archaeological museum "Gorgippia" is located in Anapa near central beach, is an ancient city, located on the site of modern Anapa.

From 1973 to the present, excavations have been carried out by an expedition from the Institute of Archives of the Russian Academy of Sciences. A large number of epigraphic monuments, coins, works of ancient art, etc. come from the city’s territory.

The museum includes excavations of the ancient city: cobbled streets, basements and foundations of residential buildings, pits, wells, a winery, remains defensive structures. The museum displays finds from the excavations: bronze sculpture, terracotta figurines, painted black-glazed and red-glazed dishes, marble sculpture, glass vessels and jewelry.
^

Bibliography

1. 
   Alekseeva E.M. The ancient city of Gorgippia. - M.: URSS, 1997. - 560 p.
2. 
   Baklykov L.I. History of the Anapa resort. - Krasnodar: Soviet Kuban, 2002.
3. 
   Konstantinov V.A. Anapa: a journey into the past. - Anapa: 2009. - 140 p.
4. 
   Kruglikova I.T. Sindh harbor. Gorgippia. Anapa. - M.: Nauka, 1977. - 88 p. - (Pages of the history of our Motherland).
5. 
   Yanishoglo F.E. Anapa from a military fortress to a Russian resort. - Anapa: 2003.
6. 
   Website "Archeology.ru". Access mode: http://www.archaeology.ru.
7. 
   Website "Archaeological Museum "Gorgippia". Access mode: http://www.museum.ru.
8. 
   Supotnitsky M.V. Gorgippia as Pausanias could see her. Description of Hellas. Book XI Gorgippia. Article. Access mode: http://www.supotnitskiy.ru.

Gorgippia today

Gorgippia is an ancient city, Gorgippia today is modern Anapa.
The German philosopher Hegel called Greek antiquity “a quickly flying rose.” One of the most outlying petals of this amazing flower was a Greek colony founded on the shores of Anapa Bay in the second half of the 6th century BC on the land of local Sind tribes. The city was called Sindik before joining the Bosporan Kingdom - unification Greek city-states in the Northern Black Sea region with its capital in Panticapaeum (Kerch).

King Leukon (390-348 BC) sends his brother Gorgippus to Sindica as a governor, who stops the internecine wars and subjugates the Sindian tribes to the Bosporus. Under Gorgippa, residential areas were planned, active construction was carried out, and crafts were developed. At the suggestion of the orator Demosthenes in Athens, a statue of Gorgippus was erected on the agora for special services to the metropolis. In his honor the city was named Gorgippia.
Agriculture was the economic basis for the development of the city and the well-being of its citizens. In the vicinity of Gorgippia, wheat, barley, millet, lentils, legumes, grapes were grown, sheep, goats, cattle, horses, pigs, and poultry were raised. Winemaking and fish-salting production were developed.

Various crafts were developed in the city: stone-masonry, construction, ceramics, woodworking, iron-making, bronze-casting, jewelry, bone-cutting, leather-working, spinning and weaving.
Trade played an important role in the economy of the city of Gorgippia.
Through the harbor of Gorgippia, grain and other agricultural products were exported, wine and olive oil in amphorae, painted black-glazed ceramic dishes and items made of bronze, marble, glass, precious metals and stones, and aromatic oils were brought. Gorgippia's trading partners were Athens and other cities of continental Greece, the centers of the Mediterranean basin in Chios, Thasos, Rhodes, Lesbos, Knidos, etc., the Black Sea centers of Sinope, Heraclea, Chersonesus, etc., the cities of Bosporus, and the barbarian world.
Gorgippia was ruled by the governor of the Bosporan king through a system of city magistrates. An important role in the life of the city of Gorgippia was played by the Council and the People, various unions and associations. In honor of the most significant events, marble slabs with inscriptions were installed in the central square.
Residents of the city worshiped Zeus, Poseidon, Demeter, Aphrodite, Hermes, Dionysus, Apollo, Hercules, and many other gods of the Greek pantheon, in whose honor majestic temples and sanctuaries were built, statues were erected, holidays and sports competitions were held.
The city of Gorgippia died in a fire in the middle of the 3rd century AD under the attacks of barbarian nomadic tribes. Systematic excavations of Gorgippia have been carried out since 1960 by an expedition of the Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Sciences.

Total 49 photos

As always, everything happens too randomly. Well, who knew that I would find myself on the ruins of an ancient ancient city just two days ago? Someone put the circumstances together in such a way that I went to Anapa for a whole week, including on business. Having previously rummaged through search engines about the sights of the city of Anapa, I learned that right within the city limits there is a unique excavation site of the ancient ancient city of Gorgippia. This, frankly, surprised and inspired me beyond words. I have never been to Anapa. As a child, my parents took me only to Crimea, so that this part of the Black Sea coast, by definition, was a terra incognita for me. I continued my hasty interest in Gorgippia, while collecting things and understanding its origins, historical details and twisted human destinies. Gradually a bizarre picture of this part began to emerge in front of me. ancient world, the early history of our Motherland. In my soul I felt the already familiar exciting taste of anticipation and inspiration from the opportunity to immerse my senses in the ancient layers of the Greek ancient city, in the feelings and passions of its inhabitants, in their life and death as part of the great journey of all mankind...

As it turned out, there were a lot of Greek settlements in the Black Sea region. According to archaeologists, we can say that these cities were located on the Black Sea coast at a distance of 5-10 km. from each other, or even closer, which is a fairly dense distribution for ancient settlements. However, we are interested in the Asian part of the eastern Black Sea coast. It’s curious, but it’s here in the spurs that begin Caucasus Mountains Prometheus, chained to the Caucasian rocks, suffered, exiled here by Zeus to suffer, because he passed on the sacred fire of knowledge to people.
02.

Since ancient times, the Sindhi and many other tribes lived in this area. The Chimerians once lived here, displaced by the Scythians, who were later displaced by the Greeks. The Greeks founded Panticapaeum, which was located on the eastern part of the modern Crimean peninsula and other cities, including in Asia Minor and its eastern Black Sea part. The second city in importance after Panticapaeum was Phanagoria, it was located in the eastern part of the coast across the Cimmerian Bosporus (strait), and even further east in the 5th century BC in the foothills northern Caucasus the city of Sind or Sindika was founded - the future Gorgippia.
03.

Before the war with the Persians, the city did not submit to the Bosporan kingdom (these are Greek colony cities united into a single state), and its king Satyr, while the Greeks were at war with Xerxes, decided to take possession of Sindica, but became entangled in political intrigue, strife and a war against the Sindian king Hecataeus , and eventually died from overexertion and the loss of his youngest son. His wise and far-sighted eldest son Levkon became the archon (hereditary ruler) of Bosporus. He sent his brother Gorgippus to Sindika and he, using his talent as a politician, through negotiations and generous gifts, persuaded Sindika to peace and became the first governor of the king of the Bosporan kingdom there. Interestingly, it was in this year that the battle between the Greeks and the Persians took place in the Thermopylae Gorge, where King Leonidas and his 300 Spartans died, which is now known to every schoolchild.
04.

So, in the 4th century BC. Sindika became part of the Bosporan kingdom and was its key border city. The new name - Gorgippia - was given to the city as Gorgippus' merits to the Bosporan kingdom for his great deeds, as sources note. Leukon reigned in the Bosporus for forty years and received Athenian citizenship, although he was not at all Greek by origin. His sons Spartocus and Parisades received confirmation from the Athenian people regarding the benefits given to their father and grandfather Satyrus. From Spartok came the dynasty of Bosporan kings - the Spartokids. They reigned for another three hundred years and were loyal allies of Greece. General order was maintained. The local Scythians paid a moderate tribute to the Bosporus and forcibly restrained themselves from raids. The Bosporan kingdom had a strong fleet, which protected the entire Black Sea coast from sea robbers.
05.

Under Mithridates Eupator, Gorgippia became one of the most important cities of the Bosporan kingdom. In subsequent years, the city continued to prosper and grow rich. Public buildings were erected here, their own silver coins were minted, and large roofing tiles were made in potters' workshops. Even under Leukon, self-government was introduced in Gorgippia within the framework of the civil community.
06.

Gorgippia was a significant, very rich city, a trade center throughout Asia Minor and a large and key seaport. For hundreds of years, Greek merchants brought wine, fragrant oils, elegant black-gloss Greek dishes, expensive fabrics, and jewelry here. They took away huge quantities of wheat, leather, furs, livestock, honey, salted fish and, of course, slaves. By the way, in Athens, on the agora at that time, statues of Satyr, Perisades and Gorgippus were installed from the “grateful Athenian people.”)
07.

Our only eyewitness to the journey to the “living” Gorgippia was the historian Pausanias. He then told the World his impressions of visiting Gorgippia in his “Description of Hellas” in the 11th book in the 2nd century. ad. Therefore, for now, we will follow his travel diary.

“...When you sail to Gorgippia by ship from Panticapaeum, you see how the sandy flat coast protrudes more and more into the sea, forming a cape, which is dissected by a magnificent bay.
08.

“...However, if your ship passes the bay and goes around this cape, then a completely different picture will open before you - a high coast, smoothly turning into harsh lifeless mountains, almost vertically descending into the sea. It’s not surprising that Hephaestus chained Prometheus to these very rocks, by order of Zeus...”

By the way, this area is now part of the modern city of Anapa and local residents They call it the “High Bank”.
09.

“...The city itself makes an impression even on a Hellene who arrived from Egypt. The main city street stretches from west to east along the sea, from the western gate to the agora. The street is wide, at least 18 cubits (one cubit is 40-50 cm), covered with huge stone slabs, up to three cubits long, and completely new. The slabs are laid solidly on a thick layer of bedding and compaction, and in some places old pavements can be seen underneath them. Under the slabs of the new pavements there are drains connecting to drainage wells...”
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“...North of the main street, along the shore, there is another one, 8-9 cubits wide. Longitudinal streets intersect transverse ones, 10-16 cubits wide and divide the city into regular squares, 100 cubits each. The streets are adjacent to the walls of houses, each side of which has at least 20 cubits. The roofs of the houses are covered with tiles, some of which were clearly brought from Sinope (a Greek colony in Black Sea coast in modern Turkey)..."
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“...In the courtyard of each house there is either a well or a plastered tank for rainwater coming from the roof of the house. The house itself has a huge basement with a stone staircase...”
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“...Drainage channels, made of neatly processed slabs with a gutter, originate from the courtyard... The courtyards are paved with either stone slabs or sea pebbles, the floors in the rooms are earthen with clay plastering, the walls are plastered and for the most part painted..."
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“...In the western part of the city I saw an interesting two-story building, which, as they explained to me, belongs to a local winemaker. The house consists of three rooms located in its northern part and a large powerful courtyard located in its southeastern part. Adjacent to the building from the west is a winery, consisting of two rooms - a pantry and a room with pressing platforms and two impressive tanks in volume - one with 700 Attic choys (one choy - 3.3 liters), the other with 100 choys more ... "
20.

“...Houses built by the Romans are distinguished by their large size and thick walls and, as a rule, contain baths. One building of the Roman barracks is located in the city center, the other at the eastern gate ... "
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“...During my stay in Gorgippia, I saw the construction of new temples. The theater was also rebuilt, now it was adjusted to the simple tastes of the Romans, which means that it had to be suitable for conducting gladiator fights.
At the entrance to the agora, the courthouse and gymnasium are open.

On the very central square, temples were erected dedicated to Poseidon - the ruler of the sea elements, Demeter - the patroness of farmers, Aphrodite - the foam-born protector of sailors and, of course, the great Zeus the Savior. These are truly the homes of the gods. They amaze with the power and even heaviness of their forms.

Among the statues, my attention was drawn to the huge statue of Athena, the patroness of Hercules. As they explained to me, this is the work of Hypatodorus, completed by him by the 102nd Olympic Games and bought from the Megalopians by Mithridates, especially for his border city of Gorgipia..."
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25.

“...There I also saw a stele where for 300 years the names of young men who won the annual running competitions dedicated to the beloved god and patron of the Gorgippians, Hermes, have been carved...”
26.

“...In addition to trading operations, the Gorgippians are engaged in many crafts. I saw ceramic, pottery, tile, stone-cutting workshops. They told me the names of skilled craftsmen - jewelers, artists, sculptors ... "
27.

Winery.
28.



29.



30.

“...Under the city, in its elevated part, they showed me underground labyrinths, but no one knows who, when and why they were built...”

That's how it is!?! It turns out there were labyrinths too! Really curious!

In the photo you see only a couple of excavated quarters of the ancient city with an area of ​​about 1.5-2 hectares. The total area of ​​the entire city was about 40 hectares! Modern Anapa entirely located above ancient Gorgippia, and it is unlikely that its other parts will appear to us for obvious reasons.
31.

In the 4th century. BC e., apparently, the layout of the city blocks of Gorgippia had already been outlined. This is evidenced by the orientation of the walls and the direction of the streets, open in layers under the pavement of the 2nd century. There are clearly traces of an increase in the level of streets, starting from the 4th century. BC e., in the form of alternating layers of ceramic bedding, gravel and crushed stone.
32.



33.

The existence of streets during the Hellenistic period in the same place where they passed in the first centuries of our era is also evidenced by a blocked doorway, the threshold of which, corresponding to the level of the street of the 4th century. BC e., in the 2nd century. n. e. turned out to be more than a meter below the level of the stone pavement.

The city was burned and destroyed by the Goths in 238 AD. Gorgippia was one of the first to receive this unexpected and catastrophic blow from the barbarian tribes from the Baltic. Some of the inhabitants were killed, all the rest were taken into slavery - this was the main trade of the Goths. This is where its glorious ancient history ends, but gradually another one begins...
34.



35.

The archaeological site of the ancient city is located right next to the main city beach of Anapa, which, it seems, should give it a pop-resort character and the presence of large crowds of curious vacationers.
36.

But, thank God, it turned out that the demand for visiting the excavations is not at all high. While I was photographing the ruins, practically no one was nearby, and I could calmly immerse myself in my feelings and thoughts about this curious place.
37.

If you try to take in the excavation at one glance, with your vision slightly defocused, then this amazing city, a city of workers, a city of warriors, a city of craftsmen, a city of sea traders and slave traders.
38.

The image of a living city did not leave me after that the entire time I was at the excavation site. Roads, streets, walls of houses - everything is laid out as if according to a ruler.
39.

You stumble a little in your thoughts when you see these foundations, built from improvised clumsy building material, held together with lime mortar and clay. At first, as always, you expect large regular stone blocks laid at the base of the temples... However, who knows!? Perhaps in other places, where, for example, the agora (the public center of the city) was located, the remains of such solid buildings are located. And this quarter, most likely, was located somewhere on the outskirts of the city. This is indirectly confirmed by the surviving Turkish watchtower, located very close, built on the foundations of the ancient fortress walls of the city and served as the eastern gate for the city.
40.

41.

42.

So, what did I feel while being here? First of all, I wanted to stop at the city of Anapa itself. The center of this city has some unique dynamic and clean energy. Being on the streets of the city both day and evening, you feel some kind of businesslike, open, joyful and light energy in the movement of life and everything around. This is the case in others resort towns I have never felt that Anapa stood out sharply in terms of this unusual indicator.
43.

At first I couldn't understand what was going on. And then, reflecting, I realized that the entire center of one of greatest cities Bosporan Kingdom is built up as a resort town. All these numerous sanatoriums, hotels, shopping streets, squares, squares, attractions are located above the buried ancient city, which never lived a quiet provincial life. For thousands of years, life was in full swing here, there was brisk trade, crafts flourished, endless caravans of ships sailed, wars happened, peoples changed... And in this carousel of life, the spirit of this city arose, formed over millennia. Now, we would call him an egregor.

My thoughts began to turn into a harmonious and amazing flow of thoughts and images. I suddenly, with surprise, realized that the spirit of the city lives and flourishes to this day. He does not live in the ruins of an ancient city, he lives in the feelings, thoughts and passions of these people who come from all over our vast country. These streams of people do not dry out, more and more people come here, receiving their unique and at the same time unconscious experience of joining the great shopping center antiquity, giving it part of your energy and receiving in return a unique feeling of life, relaxation and dissolution in the energy of the great ancient city of sailors and traders.
44.



45.

The flow of thoughts and impressions intensified. And, suddenly, I realized whose irrepressible energy was able to survive here and continue to flourish. His name seemed to come from everywhere. It's Hermes! After all, Pausanias mentioned that here, among many temples, stood the temple of the god Hermes, the god of trade, profit, rationality, dexterity, trickery, deception, theft and eloquence, who gives wealth and income in trade, and he was the patron saint of Gorgippia. Well, of course, Hermes! Exactly! How did I not guess right away!? Hermes is the patron of heralds, ambassadors, shepherds and travelers, the patron of magic... Suddenly, with some second sight, I saw the figure of Hermes standing facing me. Hermes looked straight at me, on his face I saw a shrewd, sly and at the same time meaningful, kind and patronizing smile. We looked at each other. Hermes raised his right hand, making a smooth, beautiful gesture, as if outlining something in front of him. His figure looked like a shaky marble statue come to life.
“My city,” Hermes said unexpectedly affectionately and firmly, looking me straight in the eyes. A gust of wind came, which brought me to a real feeling. The figure of Hermes melted and its outline seemed to remain somewhere in my enthusiastic imagination...
46.

I was in a completely different part of the excavated Gorgippia, not at all where I remembered myself and where I began to think about the fate of Gorgippia and Anapa. It turned out that I was above the excavation on the opposite side of the embankment. Dense, beautiful Pitsunda pines grow along this part of the ancient quarter. Somehow I got over the fence and found myself here alone in the shade of these pines. There was no one, only silence, grace and calm. Some kind of elevated, harmonious feeling reigned in my soul. Great! I couldn’t even count on such a response. Hermes! Wow! Now everything is falling into place. That’s why the excavation of the foundations of this quarter seemed somehow empty and abandoned to me. The God of trade and profit simply adapted and changed his role. Now he “manages” this flow of vacationers from all over the country. Well, smart, as they say. Imagine the energy boost provided by all these people! There is a bizarre exchange of feelings and emotions, saturating people with the energy of holiday and relaxation. Still, the gods have not disappeared anywhere, they change just like this whole whimsical world around us. Inspired by this discovery and trying to comprehend what had happened, I went to explore the Gorgippia Museum, but that’s another story (and
Website of the Anapa Archaeological Museum: http://www.museum.ru/M1364
Website of V.M. Suppotnitsky about Gorgippia with links to Pausanias: http://www.supotnitskiy.ru/stat/stat43.htm
A site about Anapa and its attractions and nature in general, and Pitsunda pine in particular: click here
Wikipedia about Gorgippia with a lot of systematized historical dates, names and also a map file of the Bosporan kingdom: click here

Nowadays, Anapa looks like such a stylish and modern resort that tourists who are not particularly interested in history do not even suspect that the ancient Greek city of Gorgippia, one of the richest cities of the Bosporan Kingdom, was once located here. It was erected in the second half of the 6th century BC. and flourished successfully for about ten centuries, until during one of the raids the enemies burned it to the ground, and life in it slowly faded away.

Gorgippia is located in Anapa on the northeastern coast of the Black Sea in the center of one of the most famous resorts in Russia in the west of the Krasnodar Territory.

At first, the settlement had a different name - Sind Harbor (at first, representatives of the Sind tribe lived here, and only then the Greeks settled) and it existed as an independent city-state, having well-established connections with nearby settlements - Panticapaeum, Bata, Hermonassos, Phanagoria.

It is not surprising that some time later, in Art. IV. BC, Greek colonies located along north coast Black Sea, decided to unite into one state - the Bosporus Kingdom. As a result of this, the Sind harbor was renamed in honor of the king's brother Gorgippus, who was appointed governor here.

Gorgippia turned out to be not just the trade and craft center that it had been until now, but also a border fortress, and soon became one of the most important and richest cities in the region (the city was so successful that it even had the right to mint its own coins - silver drachmas ).

City-museum

The remains of this ancient settlement can now be seen in the Anapa Museum, which covers an area of ​​about 2 hectares. First of all, these are the foundations of ancient quarters, dated to the II-III century. AD, highway, wells, winery, remains of defensive fortifications. Here you can see fragments of the facing materials of the sanctuaries and columns of the fort, sarcophagi and tombstones.

There is also an indoor museum, in the exhibition halls of which found figurines, marble sculptures, painted dishes, amphorae, coins, and weapons are stored.

Appearance of the city

Despite the fact that at present only basements remain of the residential buildings of the city, scientists and historians still managed to more or less establish what Gorgippia looked like several thousand years ago. The work of archaeologists turned out to be difficult, since Anapa is very densely built up, and excavations can only be carried out where construction is underway or in the courtyards of modern houses.

Gorgippia was small - its area was 38 hectares (0.38 sq. km.), and the width of the main street was about eight meters. The main highway of the city stretched along the coast, came close to the city gates, and beyond Gorgippia it led to a wide trade route that united Crimea with the Caucasian Pass.

For the first six centuries of its existence, the streets of Gorgippia were paved with cobblestones and fragments of clay jugs (traces of passing carts were preserved on the pavements of this type found).

Roads are more late period, relating to I-III Art. AD were made of huge flat stones, laid on a layer of clay and rubble. This coating turned out to be so durable that dump trucks loaded with earth driving along it during excavations did not cause the slightest harm to it.



Residents built houses mainly along the coast. The houses of ordinary city residents were built from clay. The richer inhabitants used stone, baked bricks and tiles to build their homes. The windows of the houses were covered with bull bubbles.

The houses of the nobility were located in the city center, on the main square. Gorgippia contained small buildings. The buildings were low, had no more than two floors and consisted of three or four rooms. On the first floors there were most likely shops or craft workshops.

It is interesting that the ancient architects, when building Gorgippia, provided a system of water pipes and drains - one of such canals was discovered during excavations: it ran along one of the streets, approached a settling well in which water was filtered, as a result of which garbage remained at the bottom, and purified water was discharged into the sea.

Gorgippia was divided into quarters, in each of which lived a certain category of population - the potters' quarters were the best preserved: during the excavations, numerous amphorae, dishes, and figurines were found.



A number of industrial complexes were also discovered in the city (almost all the items found can be seen on the territory of the museum set up here):

• tanks in which fish were salted;
• rooms with pressing platforms in which wine was made, and in them - barrels with a capacity of about 6 tons;
• pottery kilns;
• traces of metallurgical production were even found.

Crypts

In the seventies of the last century, during construction in Anapa, a unique monument of Hellenic culture was found - a painted tomb of Greek aristocrats, which researchers called the “Crypt of Hercules”. It was cut down in rocky ground and was located a meter from earth's surface(the height of the walls was more than three meters).

The walls of the tomb were made of solid stone blocks, and the vault was designed in such a way that it could easily withstand the heavy ceiling. It was possible to get into the tomb through a well (the sarcophagi were lowered down through it). After which the entrance to the stone well was securely closed and covered with pebbles (unfortunately, this did not stop the robbers, who were able to get into the crypt, pull out and rob the deceased, and also remove everything valuable from the tomb).

The only thing they couldn’t take with them were the unique wall frescoes made with natural paints. Most of them are now in Moscow for restoration, but the sarcophagi are kept in the Anapa Museum.

The walls above the floor along the entire perimeter of the tomb were surrounded by a red stripe, and above the entrance various vegetation, colorful circles and hunting scenes were painted. Above is another strip with large red ovals or zigzags. Columns with decorated capitals were drawn between the ovals. Above this strip hung a drapery fabric with fringes and tassels, and above the fabric were painted paintings telling of the 12 labors of Hercules, from which the crypt got its name.

Next to the stories about the life of the Greek demigod is a drawing depicting a meal: a bearded man was sitting at the table, flanked by two women in veils and two young men. Also in the tomb there was another drawing depicting a woman and a man sitting next to whom a young man was standing. Around these figures are trees, peacocks, turtles, and above the heads of the couple you can see a circle with a snake. On the ceiling of the tomb there is a circle with an ornamental border, in the center of which there is a multi-colored six-petalled rosette.

It is interesting that this tomb was not alone: ​​next to the “Crypt of Hercules”, researchers discovered another tomb with two sarcophagi (the robbers did not know about it, and therefore did not rob it). A noble Gorgippian was buried in the first sarcophagus, and two girls were buried in the second (their social status was evidenced by gold jewelry and other decorative funerary objects found there).

Crash

No written evidence has reached us about who destroyed Gorgippia, Hermonassos and other cities of the Bosporan kingdom. In the second century, the city, after fierce battles, came under the rule of the Roman Empire for some time, then the Goths invaded at the beginning of the third century, and the city itself almost completely burned down in a fire after 238.



Despite the fact that the local residents who survived the disaster were able to restore their destroyed homes, they were unable to build the destroyed defensive walls: they had no money and strength left for construction work after numerous raids. A hundred years later, the Huns came to this territory, and the story of the life and prosperity of the cities of the Bosporan Kingdom was completed.