Archaeologists have discovered an underwater stone structure, believed to be part of the ancient city of Chersonesus in present-day Sevastopol, occupied Ukraine.
Chersonesus was an ancient Greek colony founded by settlers from Heraclea Pontica approximately 2,500 years ago. During the Early Middle Ages, the city became a Byzantine possession, though it retained a degree of self-governance.
Its remote location made it both a strategic observation post over the Black Sea trading routes and a place of exile for prominent figures, including Pope Clement I, Pope Martin I, and the deposed emperor Justinian II.
Chersonesos went into decline following a sacking by Mongol forces in 1299. Byzantine historical records last mention the city in 1396, and archaeological evidence suggests it was abandoned shortly thereafter.
In 2013, the ruins, including temples, houses, and a theatre, were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A recent underwater survey using non-invasive techniques, such as Bottom Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), was used to map the coastline to detect buried archaeological features.
The survey, led by Vladimir Glazunov, a professor at Saint Petersburg Mining University, identified an elongated stone rampart, partly exposed on land, which researchers believe formed part of the city’s defensive system or a hydraulic structure linked to shoreline management.
The rampart measures approximately 23 metres in length by 10 metres in width and features a vertical height difference exceeding two metres.
Excavations of the rampart stones found numerous objects that mainly date to the medieval period, including ceramic fragments, a piece of marble architectural décor, and a limestone drinking vessel. Research is planned to continue in the next field season.
Sources : Tauric Chersonesos Museum-Reserve
