Kepoi — Eastern Submerged Necropolis and Offshore Grave Terrace (Taman East)
Kepoi East Necropolis · Cepoi Eastern Terrace · Taman Gulf East Kepoi
Archaic to Late Antique (580 BCE – 300 CE)·Milesian Greek / Bosporan / Sarmatian·🇷🇺 Krasnodar Krai, Taman Peninsula, Taman Gulf eastern shore east of Kepoi island, Russia
About
About Kepoi — Eastern Submerged Necropolis and Offshore Grave Terrace (Taman East)
Eastern submerged necropolis terrace of Kepoi in Taman Gulf eastern shallows, where the Milesian colony's eastern burial ground and offshore grave terrace now lie 1–3 m submerged 400 m east of the island settlement. 8 m and votive Aphrodite figurine dump at –1 m surveyed by 2016–2020 Taman Expedition diving. Founded c. 580 BCE, Kepoi was Aphrodite cult centre; eastern necropolis served elite families with imported Attic lekythoi until Bosporan abandonment 3rd c.
CE and transgression drowning. Grave goods include Sarmatian mirrors under Khazar sand.
Why it mattersEastern necropolis proves island necropolis offshore model; Attic lekythoi and Sarmatian mirrors calibrate Bosporan-Attic trade and Sarmatian elite arrival.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Whether 60 m wall is terrace or fortification
- 02Attribution of figurine dump to Aphrodite sanctuary cleanup?
Theories
- 01Necropolis drowned later than town due to higher ground
- 02Khazar sand marks post-Bosporan reuse
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 580 BCE Kepoi foundation; necropolis 5th c. BCE onward
- Period
- Archaic to Late Antique (580 BCE – 300 CE)
- Culture
- Milesian Greek / Bosporan / Sarmatian
- Builders
- Milesian Greek / Bosporan
- Purpose
- Elite necropolis and votive terrace for Aphrodite cult
- Abandoned
- 3rd c. CE Bosporan crisis + transgression
- Rediscovered
- 19th c. antiquarian; east terrace diving 2016
- Excavation
- Submerged
c. 580 BCE
Milesians found Kepoi island colony
c. 450–100 BCE
Eastern necropolis terrace and 90 cists built
2016–2020
Diving maps necropolis at –2 m
On the ground
Structures & features
45.3020° N · 37.0150° E · -2 m · 3 mapped features
Stone Cist Grave Cluster (90 graves)
necropolis90 limestone cist graves at –2 m in rows
45.3025° N · 37.0155° EAshlar Grave Terrace Wall (60 m)
wall60 m terrace wall at –1.8 m retaining necropolis
45.3020° N · 37.0150° EAphrodite Figurine Dump
votiveTerracotta figurine votive scatter at –1 m
45.3015° N · 37.0152° E