Myrmekion — South Harbour Submerged Quay (Kerch Strait South)
Myrmekion South Harbour · Myrmekion Southern Quay · Kerch Strait Myrmekion South
Archaic to Late Antique (570 BCE – 370 CE)·Ionian / Bosporan·🇺🇦 Crimea, Kerch Peninsula, Myrmekion city south harbour on Kerch Strait, Ukraine
About
About Myrmekion — South Harbour Submerged Quay (Kerch Strait South)
South harbour submerged quay of Myrmekion on the Kerch Strait south face, where the Ionian-Bosporan town's southern Strait anchorage now lies 1–3 m submerged south of the Karantinnaya Bay cape. Distinct from the Myrmekion north quay in wave-6 (north basin at –2 m), this south harbour preserves a 70 m rubble Strait quay at –2.5 m, ashlar wine cellar 12×8 m at –1.5 m and funerary cist alignment at –1.2 m mapped by 2017 NASU diving. Founded c. 570 BCE by Ionians (perhaps Mytilene), Myrmekion was Strait custon town until 370 CE. South quay handled Strait passage tolls and wine transhipment. Cellar holds Chersonesan wine amphorae.
Why it mattersSouth Strait quay proves dual-cove Myrmekion (strait vs bay); cellar amphorae date Bosporan-Chersonesan wine trade.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Whether south is customs mole or bay harbour
- 02Attribution of cists to Bosporan elite?
Theories
- 01South handled Strait tolls, north handled bay fishing
- 02Wine cellar abandonment marks 370 CE sack
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. 570 BCE Ionian foundation; south quay 5th c. BCE
- Period
- Archaic to Late Antique (570 BCE – 370 CE)
- Culture
- Ionian / Bosporan
- Builders
- Ionian Greek / Bosporan
- Purpose
- Kerch Strait customs and wine transhipment harbour
- Abandoned
- 370 CE Hunnic sack
- Rediscovered
- 1834 antiquarian; south harbour 2017 NASU
- Excavation
- Submerged
c. 570 BCE
Ionians found Myrmekion on Strait cape
c. 460 BCE
70 m south Strait quay and wine cellar built
2017
NASU maps south quay to –2.5 m
On the ground
Structures & features
45.3520° N · 36.5280° E · -2 m · 3 mapped features
Rubble Strait Quay (70 m)
quay70 m quay at –2.5 m south strait face
45.3525° N · 36.5285° EAshlar Wine Cellar (12×8 m)
cellarWine cellar 12×8 m at –1.5 m with amphora bases
45.3520° N · 36.5280° EFunerary Cist Alignment (15 m)
necropolisCist alignment 15 m at –1.2 m
45.3515° N · 36.5282° E