Early Greek architectural tomb in the Royal Kurgan
Early Greek architectural tomb
in the Royal Kurgan
This tomb features a distinctive sloping entrance. The building is constructed of yellow limestone with the floor filled with a mixture of clay lime and limestone. Located in present-day Kerch the ancient Greek city of Pantikapaum the monument known as the Kurgan Dynasty of Kerch in Crimea was built in the 4th century BC. The ancient Greek city founded by colonists from Miletus was located on the eastern coast of Crimea and known to the Greeks as Tauriga. This colony flourished for centuries as part of Greece. Ancient Greek architecture is evidence of the colony founded by the Greek city of Miletus in Asia Minor.
Royal Kurgan of Kerch image : paganplaces
The Royal Kurgan Tomb was uncovered during a systematic excavation that lasted from 1833 to 1837. It is believed that the Kurgan was looted during the centuries of Christianity. Inside only the remains of a wooden sarcophagus are found with Christian symbols carved on the inner walls of the tomb. The tomb was once used as a refuge but centuries later this masterpiece of ancient Greek architecture still stands testifying to the great city founded by Miletus. It may also be the final resting place of Lukon of the Bosphorus who reigned from 389 to 349 BC. The burial chamber inside has a square floor plan measuring 4.39 meters by 4.35 meters and developed into a cantilevered dome or "false vault" resembling a honeycomb. Surrounding the tomb are small stone chambers stelae and sarcophagi.
image cr: atlasobscura
Of approximately 200 burial mounds in Kerch and the surrounding area, the Royal Kurgan is located approximately 5 kilometers northeast of the city center. A masterpiece of ancient architecture the Royal Kurgan is the burial site of the rulers of the Bosphorus Empire The necropolis was founded in the 5th century BC by Greeks from the northern Black Sea and the Sea of Azov as a means of expanding their colonies culture and trade. Ancient Greece's wealth and maritime power on the eastern coast played a crucial role in the development of early Greek philosophy and science.
