DOI Artikel:
Scholl, Tomasz: Polish excavations at Tanais
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41866#0242
Tomasz Scholl
Warsaw
POLISH EXCAVATIONS AT TANAIS
Since 1996 the Centre for Archaeological Research in Novae and the Insti-
tute of Archaeology at Warsaw University have been conducting excavations in
the ancient town of Tanais, located near the modem town of Rostov on the Don
River (Russia) (fig. 1). This work is carried out within the boundaries of the
Russian Archaelogical Mission directed by Tatiana Arsen’eva.1
Since 1999 our research has concentrated on the area located directly in front
of the Hellenistic defensive wall of the so-called western Tanais (fig. 2). The
reason for selecting this site was the fact that it is possible to study there both:
the Hellenistic fortifications and the area of the neighbouring mral hinterland.
The fortifications of Tanais dated to the first centuries AD have become well
known thanks to the long-lasting excavations of Dmitrij Selov, began in the
1960s.2 Erected in the late lst-early 2nd century AD, the huge stone walls were
additionally protected on the outside by a deep and wide ditch. The walls were
reinforced and repaired several times until the fall of Tanais, that is till the mid-
3rd century. The Roman wall followed in part the outline of the Hellenistic forti-
fications, and used some of its fragments. The research conducted in one of the
towers by Svetlana Naumienko last year and this year has allowed to gain better
insight into that issue.
Also our trench no. XXV has helped to shed new light on how Tanais and its
fortifications were constructed (fig. 3). The earlier belief, introduced by Dimitrij
Selov, was that in the Hellenistic period there existed two separately defended
parts of the town.3 The western part was inhabited by the people of local tribes,
and the eastern one by the Greeks. In contrast to the eastern part of the fortifica-
tions, the western part was considered as something inferior. It was supposed
that it consisted of a 3 m wide stone wall with two facings resting on the bed-
rock, and the outer facing was supposed to have been cut into the bedrock to the
depth of 0.20 m.4 The excavations conducted in the recent two years have brought
unexpected results. In front of the stone wall a defensive ditch has been discov-
Warsaw
POLISH EXCAVATIONS AT TANAIS
Since 1996 the Centre for Archaeological Research in Novae and the Insti-
tute of Archaeology at Warsaw University have been conducting excavations in
the ancient town of Tanais, located near the modem town of Rostov on the Don
River (Russia) (fig. 1). This work is carried out within the boundaries of the
Russian Archaelogical Mission directed by Tatiana Arsen’eva.1
Since 1999 our research has concentrated on the area located directly in front
of the Hellenistic defensive wall of the so-called western Tanais (fig. 2). The
reason for selecting this site was the fact that it is possible to study there both:
the Hellenistic fortifications and the area of the neighbouring mral hinterland.
The fortifications of Tanais dated to the first centuries AD have become well
known thanks to the long-lasting excavations of Dmitrij Selov, began in the
1960s.2 Erected in the late lst-early 2nd century AD, the huge stone walls were
additionally protected on the outside by a deep and wide ditch. The walls were
reinforced and repaired several times until the fall of Tanais, that is till the mid-
3rd century. The Roman wall followed in part the outline of the Hellenistic forti-
fications, and used some of its fragments. The research conducted in one of the
towers by Svetlana Naumienko last year and this year has allowed to gain better
insight into that issue.
Also our trench no. XXV has helped to shed new light on how Tanais and its
fortifications were constructed (fig. 3). The earlier belief, introduced by Dimitrij
Selov, was that in the Hellenistic period there existed two separately defended
parts of the town.3 The western part was inhabited by the people of local tribes,
and the eastern one by the Greeks. In contrast to the eastern part of the fortifica-
tions, the western part was considered as something inferior. It was supposed
that it consisted of a 3 m wide stone wall with two facings resting on the bed-
rock, and the outer facing was supposed to have been cut into the bedrock to the
depth of 0.20 m.4 The excavations conducted in the recent two years have brought
unexpected results. In front of the stone wall a defensive ditch has been discov-