Archaeologists excavating Chersonesus Taurica, located in modern Sevastopol, have uncovered significant Roman-era findings in a necropolis, shedding light on burial rituals practiced over 2,000 years ago. Senior researcher Viktor Vakhoneev from the Institute of History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences reported on December 5 that specialists have successfully correlated cremation sites with subsequent burial locations.
The discoveries, made between 2020 and 2023 in the southern suburbs of Chersonesus, revealed sections of the necropolis from different centuries linked to local religious cults. Numerous cremation sites from the Roman period (1st centuries CE) were identified, indicating the prevalence of this burial method at the time.
“One of the sites contained gold jewelry, suggesting a farewell ceremony for an individual who received significant honors—burial in a crypt outside the city wall. This finding is unique for Russian antiquarians; correlating cremation and burial sites in the Northern Black Sea region has not been achieved before,” Vakhoneev stated, as reported by TASS.
Among the cremation findings were expertly crafted fibulae (metal fasteners), appliqués, and pendants. Similar items were discovered in the crypt near the gates of Chersonesus.
“However, the ashes and some artifacts were placed in the crypt after cremation. After 120 years of the crypt's discovery, we located the cremation site 70 meters away, where the second portion of the ashes rested—indicating that not everything was collected and moved to the crypt. In archaeological terms, these two sites are considered a single complex,” the specialist clarified.
Limited information exists about the individual buried in the crypt. Based on the cremation in the elite section of the necropolis and the honored burial site, it can be inferred that the individual belonged to the upper echelons of society, lived in the late 1st century CE, and had notable merits or status to deserve such honors.
This research, which established links between the complex's objects, was conducted under a grant from the Russian Science Foundation titled “Features of Burial Practices for the Elite of Chersonesus Taurica during Roman Times.”