During excavations conducted in the Temryuk district of Krasnodar Krai, archaeologists discovered the ancient temple ever found on the territory of Russia. Archaeological work carried out on the territory of ancient Phanagoria a Greek colony, located on the shore of the Kerch Strait.
As the portal phanagoria.info studies are carried out fanagoriyskoe complex archaeological expedition of Institute of archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Not long ago, the specialists have managed to find on the site of the former Acropolis (social and political center of the city, the temple of the V century BC, who claimed the title of the oldest found on the territory of Russia. Now, however, right under it was discovered even more ancient archaeological site.
Russia’s oldest ancient temple found in Phanagoria https://t.co/dfQCsZEWST#фанагория #temple pic.twitter.com/9vhyZlrpFg
— Amateur (@diletant_media) 26 Jun 2016
From the point of view of architecture discovered the building is a “Temple in Antis”, that is, refers to the ancient varieties of the Hellenic temple, which are considered the prototypes of facades in Asia minor and the Egyptian rock tombs. Found the temple, like the one that was built directly above it, consisted of a Central room, which is called the “naos”, and a small semi open area between the entrance portico, and the naos — of the pronaos. In total, the building area was about 14.5 square meters. Like many other such ancient buildings, found the temple was built of mud brick and had no Foundation. According to scientists, curiously enough, the altar-hearth, which, in all probability, was used for sacrifices, was located inside the naos, but not outside of the temple, as in most known examples (it is assumed that the altars were located outside to the ancient gods could “see better” sacrifice.
At the moment experts find it difficult to pinpoint the age of the Church, however, suggest that it was built in the early fifth century BC — that is, very much earlier temple discovered earlier directly above it.