Phanagoria, Archaeological excavation site in Taman Peninsula, Russia.
Phanagoria is an ancient ruined city on the Taman Peninsula containing the remains of homes, public buildings, and defensive walls spread across a large area. The different layers reveal multiple periods of settlement, with visible stone foundations, building outlines, and pottery that show how people lived here.
The settlement was founded around 543 BCE by Greek colonists from Teos and became a major trading hub between the Mediterranean and the Caucasus. Over centuries, different peoples controlled the city until parts of it gradually sank beneath the waters of Taman Bay.
The settlement brought together Greeks, Scythians, and Sarmatians, whose daily coexistence and trade shaped the objects and building styles visible in excavations today. This mixing of peoples left a lasting mark on how the community organized itself and exchanged goods.
Some ruins remain on land while others are underwater, so visiting during clear weather gives the best view of what has been uncovered. Archaeological work continues year-round thanks to both land and underwater teams, with most activity happening in warmer months.
Much of the city sank beneath Taman Bay and can only be explored by divers, making it an unusual archaeological project. The underwater finds show that the city gradually submerged over centuries, with buildings and objects preserved in the soft mud.
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