Phanagoria

Welcome to Phanagoria, the once-mighty eastern capital of the Bosporan Kingdom and a site often referred to as the 'Russian Atlantis.' As we stand on this sun-drenched plateau of the Taman Peninsula, look out over the Taman Bay…

Our journey begins at the state-of-the-art Scientific Research Center. Built in 2012 through the support of the 'Volnoe Delo' foundation, this three-story facility is the heart of modern Phanagorian exploration. …

We now walk toward the 'Upper City,' the administrative and religious core of Phanagoria. This plateau was once dominated by impressive stone structures, including the residence of the Bosporan kings. …

We stand now at the edge of the Taman Bay, looking out over the submerged third of the city. This is the realm of the 'underwater archaeologists.' Because the sea level was significantly lower in antiquity, the ancient harbor,…

Surrounding the city on three sides is the vast necropolis, a city of the dead that is almost as large as the city of the living. Thousands of burials, from simple pits to grand marble sarcophagi, reflect the social hierarchy of…

Phanagoria was also one of the earliest centers of monotheism in what is now Russia. An inscription found in 1936 proves that a synagogue existed here as early as 51 AD, one of the oldest in the Black Sea region. …

The final chapters of Phanagoria’s history are written in the layers of destruction from the 4th to the 10th centuries. In the 4th century, the city was sacked by the invading Huns, a blow from which it took centuries to recover. …

Our exploration of Phanagoria concludes here on the banks of the Taman Bay. We have traveled from the founding by Teian exiles in the 6th century BC, through the golden age of the Bosporan kings, to the city's eventual…