Cruche en argent provenant d’un sanctuaire de bosphore de Déméter et Koré (péninsule de Taman, Russie) : résultats d’examen de la croûte de surface par les méthodes XRF et tomographie neutronique

Abstract

This article presents the results of the study of a halide film formed on a surface of a silver jar found in 2002 in the sanctuary of Demeter and Kore on the Taman Peninsula (Krasnodar region, Russia). Investigated sanctuary is located within Beregovoy 4 settlement and was related to Eleusinian cults, which were already presented on the territory of the Cimmerian Bosporus. This silver jar was placed into a specially prepared ceramic hydriskos tightly closed with a sea herb rope. One side of the jar was covered by a crust of some substance. Firstly it was interpreted as sea salt remains, but in our case, this assumption can be excluded, because this place is located high above the sea level (12.60 m). The sanctuary is located at the foot of a mud volcano (Mount Gorelaya), its last eruption was occurred in 1794. It is known that the chemical composition of Taman volcanic muds is characterized by the presence of both Cl and Br. We assume that the presence of the halide film on the silver jar’s surface can be explained by peloids or volcanic mud, which had been used for medical practices or cultic rituals in the sanctuary of Demeter and Kore.