Research subject. Upper Cretaceous sections of the southwestern and central parts of Crimea, which are part of the Cretaceous-Palaeogene cover of the Scythian platform.Aim. Reconstruction of sedimentation and changes in paleogeography related to sea level fluctuations.Materials and methods. Outcrop descriptions and petrographical investigations of rocks were conducted. A range of methods including facial analysis and cyclic and sequence stratigraphic techniques were employed.Results. Six lithological types of beds were identified, with diagnostic characteristics and genetic interpretations proposed. A model of sedimentation environments has been developed that takes into account the diagenetic transformations of sediments under anoxic conditions in the outer ramp. This has made it possible to identify transgressive-regressive layer sequences (cyclothems), determine the position of maximum flooding surfaces, and transgressive surfaces. Based on this, the correlation structures have been refined and detailed. Traces of 12 regional sedimentation cycles have been established. The features of the structures of transgressive and highstand systems tracts from the Cenomanian-Coniacian and Santonian-Maastrichtian sequences were demonstrated. A series of paleogeographic schemes for short intervals of geological time has been compiled.Conclusions. In the Crimean part of the Late Cretaceous epicontinental basin, sedimentation took place under the conditions of an inner, middle, and outer terrigenous-carbonate ramp that moved northward during periods of transgression and migrated southward during regression (in modern coordinates). At the same time, on large areas, the bottom surface most often remained above the base of storm waves.

This paper presents the results of a facies analysis of the Upper Cretaceous deposits in Southwestern and Central Crimea and a characterization of the Cenomanian–Coniacian sequence. This geological body, bounded by surfaces of parallel unconformities, comprises beds of six lithological types, each formed in a specific ramp setting. Their migration due to transgressive-regressive sea-level fluctuations resulted in the formation of seven parasequences. The spatio-temporal changes within these parasequences allowed for the identification of a Cenomanian transgressive systems tract and a Turonian–Coniacian highstand systems tract. The reconstruction of the paleogeographic evolution during their formation showed that for most of the time, the seafloor in the Crimean segment of the Late Cretaceous epicontinental sea was located above the storm wave base. The conducted research provides additional justification and refinement for correlation frameworks. The results can be used to improve the regional stratigraphic scheme of the Upper Cretaceous of Crimea.

В статье рассматривается группа гончарных и лепных светильников из позднескифских погребений Северо-Западного Крыма. В указанном регионе тра диция помещения светильников в могилы появляется во второй половине II в. до н. э. и бытует до первой половины I в. н. э. При анализе синхронных позднескифских погребений из Центрального и Юго-Западного Крыма выяснилось, что эта тради ция не находит там широкого распространения. Близкие аналогии дают памятники Нижнего Днестра. Наличие схожих элементов в погребальном обряде и керамиче ском комплексе может свидетельствовать либо о тесных контактах населения дан ных регионов, либо о переселении части нижнеднестровских скифов на террито рию Северо-Западного Крыма. The paper explores a group of pottery lamps and hand-made lamps from Late Scythian graves in Northwestern Crimea. In this region the tradition of placing oil lamps in the graves which appeared in the second half of the 2nd century BC persisted until the first half of the 1st century AD. The analysis of contemporary Late Scythian graves from Central Crimea and Southwestern Crimea has shown that this tradition was not widespread there. Close analogies have been found at the sites in the Lower Dniester region. Presence of similar elements in the funerary rites and ceramic assemblages may be used as evidence of either close contacts between the populations of these regions or resettlement of some Scythian groups from the Lower Dniester to Northwestern Crimea.

The paper describes remains of the fossil grey partridges from the Lower Pleistocene (1.8–1.5 MA) deposits of the Taurida Cave in central Crimea. A smaller grey partridge is referred to the fossil species Perdix jurcsaki Kretzoi, 1962. Yet another phasianid bird from the cave, partly similar to modern Perdix but larger, is described as Enkuria voinstvenskyi gen. et sp. nov. The spatiotemporal stability of the Early-Middle Pleistocene European grey partridges’ morphotype allows synonymization of the fossil species P. jurcsaki and P. palaeoperdix Mourer-Chauvire, 1975. Earlier fossil finds of the genus Perdix from the Upper Pliocene – Lower Pleistocene of Eastern Europe and Asia are revised. Perdix margaritae Kurochkin, 1985 from the Upper Pliocene of Mongolia and Transbaikalia is considered a junior synonym of Lophura inferna Kurochkin 1985. The oldest confirmed find of P. jurcsaki comes from the lower Gelasian (~2.4 MA) of the Northern Black Sea region (locality Kryzhanovka-2; Ukraine). A dispersal of grey partridges to the west of Europe in the second half of the Early Pleistocene is shown. The discovery of the genus Enkuria confirms the existence of the fossil diversity of Perdicini s. s. in the Plio-Pleistocene of Northern Eurasia. Phasianus etuliensis Bocheński et Kurochkin, 1987 from the early Pliocene of Moldova is here transferred to this genus. In addition, the validity of the fossil Early Pleistocene phasianids Francolinus subfrancolinus Jánossy, 1976 and Alectoris baryosefi Tchernov, 1980 is confirmed.

The article presents the history of the archaeological study of the Taurida cave in Central Crimea and the analysis of the findings – fragments of human bones, as well as stucco tableware and pottery. It is concluded that the prospect of detecting traces of human presence in the cave in the Stone Age is unlikely. At the same time, all the discovered material was found in a redeposited state due to the active digging activity of hares, foxes and badgers in the Holocene. Despite this, the discovered fragments of ceramics, according to the typology and radiocarbon analysis of embers in the humus layer, date back to the first half of the III thousand BC – I thousand BC. It is still impossible to say unequivocally about the reason for the appearance of human remains and objects of material culture in the cave. In all likelihood, there was either a burial ground or a garbage pit. The analysis of the findings made in the naturally disturbed soil (consequences of its bioturbation) leads the authors to the conclusion that the entrance part of the Taurida cave cannot be considered an object of archaeological heritage, but only a location.

В статье приводится краткий обзор открытых с 2009 г. скифских по гребальных комплексов в Центральном Крыму в ходе ежегодных археологических работ музея-заповедника «Неаполь Скифский». Все комплексы – это подкурган ные грунтовые и каменные сооружения V–IV вв. до н. э. Несмотря на многочис ленные ограбления курганов, для каждого памятника определена относительно узкая датировка, основанная на анализе амфорной тары, предметов вооружения и типологии каменных погребальных конструкций. Для региона характерна зна чительная вариативность основных погребальных сооружений, среди которых встречаются грунтовые ямы, каменные склепы, плитовые гробницы, грунтовые катакомбы. The paper provides an overview of Scythian burial sites discovered since 2009 in Central Crimea during annual archaeological excavations of the Scythian Neapolis museum-preserve. All these sites are in-ground and stone constructions of the 5th–4th centuries BC covered by kurgans. Despite numerous cases of kurgan loot ing, a relatively narrow dating has been established for each site based on the analysis of transport amphorae, weapons and typology of stone funerary constructions. This re gion is characterized by high variability of main burial constructions that include in ground pits, stone vaults, slab tombs and in-ground catacombs.

The data of a two-factor field experiment conducted to research the content and mutual influence of trace elements (TEs) in soil, segetal vegetation, cultivated grasses and pear plants during the biologization of agrocenosis are presented. The experiment was carried out in the valley of the Salgir River in central Crimea (Simferopol region) on meadow alluvial carbonate soil in the orchard of pear (Pyrus communis L.) cv. Tavricheskaya on the rootstock VA 29. The experiment focused on the influence of the «sod» factor: 1) natural sod of the soil by segetal vegetation (SV) – control; 2) a mixture of herbs: Lolium multiflorum Lam. + Medicago sativa L. (HM2); 3) a mixture of herbs: L. multiflorum + M. sativa + Festuca pratensis Huds. + Trifolium pratense L. + Bromus inermis Leyss (HM4). Additionally, the effect of microbial preparations (MP) was investigated, which included: 1) a control group without MP, 2) Azotobacterin 07-Agro – the nitrogen-fixing and growth-stimulating agent; 3) Microbiocom-Agro (MBC) is a complex fertilizer with nitrogen-fixing, growth-promoting, phosphate-mobilizing, and biological protective properties. Mobile (available) forms of TEs: Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Co in soil, and total forms of the same elements in grasses and pear leaves were determined using the atomic absorption method. It was revealed that the concentrations of Fe, Mn and Co in the soil were below the regional background levels, while Mn and Co were at levels that were considered to below for fruit crops. The content of Cu and Zn in the soil was high, but did not exceed the maximum permissible concentration and was located in the following order: Mn ˃ Zn ˃ Fe ˃ Cu ˃ Co. Biologization caused an increase in the mobility of TE. MBC, when applied in combination with CT4, contributed to some relatively greater accumulation of Zn relative to Mn in the soil. It may cause Mn deficiency in the pear plant. The content of total forms of ME in herbs was generally optimal or high, but Mn was low. According to their content in herbs, TEs are arranged in the order: Fe ˃ Cu ≥ Zn ˃ Mn ˃ Co. The lack of Mn in grasses is associated with a deficiency of this element in the soil. MPs contributed to the accumulation of TEs in the biomass of sown grasses (except for Mn), which can be used for phytoremediation of soils contaminated with Co and Zn. The Mn content in herbs decreased under the influence of MBC. The concentration of total forms of TE (excluding Mn) in pear leaves was optimal and high, while Mn level was low. The series of element ratios was similar to that obtained for grasses, but Zn content in pear leaves was higher than Cu. The applied biologization methods increased the contents of Fe, Zn, and Co in leaves and decreased the concentration of Mn below the optimal level for pears. Herbs competed with the fruiting plants in the absorption of TEs, especially when their biodiversity increased and in combination with MPs. During the process of biologization the absorption of Co by the pear increased significantly and the absorption of Mn decreased, which caused a lack of the latter in the pear nutrition, both due to its low content in the soil and antagonism with Fe, Zn, Cu and Co in the plant. This manifested itself in external symptoms of deficiency, such as weak chlorosis and necrosis of young pear leaves. In general, the use of AB in conjunction with HM2 is the more optimal combination of sod and MP (from those studied) in terms of its effect on soil properties and nutrition of pear plants. A research should be conducted to determine optimal doses of manganese fertilizers for application through foliage for specific environmental conditions in order to improve the nutrition of pear by Mn at a low content of its mobile forms in carbonate soils and during biologization.

The extinct mountain long-eared bat Plecotus macrobullaris sarmaticus subsp. nov. is described on the base of jaw remains from the Lower Pleistocene of the Taurida cave in central Crimea. This is the first record of the genus Plecotus in the Lower Pleistocene of Russia and the first fossil find of P. macrobullaris Kuzyakin, 1965, documenting the early stage of the evolutionary history of the species.

Buttonquails (family Turnicidae of the order Charadriiformes) are a morphologically specialized group of small, predominantly tropical birds of open landscapes, extremely poorly represented in the fossil record. The article describes a fragmentary humerus of a buttonquail from the Lower Pleistocene of the Taurida Cave in central Crimea. This is the first find of the family Turnicidae in Eurasia in the chronological interval from the Pliocene through the Middle Pleistocene. This find highlights the limited available information on the taxonomic composition of Early Quaternary Eurasian avifaunas, even at the family level, and also sheds light on the Late Cenozoic evolutionary history of Turnicidae.

The extinct mountain long-eared bat Plecotus macrobullaris sarmaticus subsp. nov. is described on the base of jaw remains from the Lower Pleistocene of the Taurida cave in central Crimea. This is the first record of the genus Plecotus in the Lower Pleistocene of Russia and the first fossil find of P. macrobullaris Kuzyakin, 1965, documenting the early stage of the evolutionary history of the species.

This article addresses the study of the chemical alloy composition of the artefacts made of non-ferrous and precious metals and discovered in the cemetery of Levadki in Central Crimea. The elemental composition of the finds was studied with non-destructive standardless X-ray fluorescence at the Storage Department of the Central Museum of the Taurida. The research used a sample of 68 artefacts and their components discovered in 23 burial structures dated from the Late Hellenistic and Roman Periods. From the formula of the main alloy components, the sample under study comprises: 17.65% of “pure” copper, 8.82% of brass, 11.76% of multicomponent zinc-containing alloys, 1.47% of lead bronze, 19.12% of tin bronze, 38.24% of tin-lead and lead-tin bronze, 1.47% of lead, and 1.47% of silver. The analysis of alloy composition by categories of grave goods has revealed that tin and zinc were the main alloying species in brooch production. The belt and sword-belt parts were made of alloys featuring various formulae, ranging from “pure” copper to three-component bronze variants. The research on ornaments and accessories has uncovered that this group includes the artefacts of “pure” copper along with the pieces alloyed with tin and lead, with the latter component comprising from one-third to a half of the composition, particularly in cast ornaments. This group divides into at least three subgroups, differentiated by the technique applied in the making of the artefacts and the composition of the alloy. Weaponry items are represented by the arrowheads. There are three cases of the arrowheads made of lead-tin bronze and one case more of “pure” copper.

Buttonquails (family Turnicidae of the order Charadriiformes) are a morphologically specialized group of small, predominantly tropical birds of open landscapes, which is extremely poorly represented in the fossil record. The article describes a fragmentary humerus of a buttonquail from the Lower Pleistocene of the Taurida Cave in central Crimea. This is the first find of the family Turnicidae in Eurasia in a chronological interval from the Pliocene through the Middle Pleistocene. The find highlights the limited nature of available information on the taxonomic composition of Early Quaternary Eurasian avifaunas, even at the family level, and sheds light on the Late Cenozoic evolutionary history of Turnicidae.

Children’s graves were discovered in numerous burial grounds of Roman times in the South-Western and Central Crimea. Despite the large number of excavated graves, there are no special investigations on the peculiarities of the children’s funerary tradition. The paper provides a brief description of specific features identified in the spread of children’s burials at Frontovoe 3 cemetery and focuses on a number of graves dating back to the 4 th century AD. All of them were made in separate niches. They have a typical set of grave goods for the chronological period under consideration. Special attention is paid to the specific location of children’s burials in the cemetery. In conclusion, the author offers a review of published children’s burials from synchronous sites.

The Sinemurian ammonoids from the boulders in the Greek quarry (Salgir River basin, south-east of Simferopol city) are described. The assemblages are represented by Phylloceratidae (Phylloceras, Zetoceras and Partschiceras), Juraphyllitidae (Juraphyllites and Paradasyceras), Schlotheimiidae (Phricodoceras), Arietitidae (Coroniceras, Metophioceras, Arnioceras and Asteroceras), Oxynoticeratidae (Gleviceras), Echioceratidae (Plesechioceras, Orthechioceras, Echioceras and Paltechioceras), Eoderoceratidae (Eoderoceras), Epideroceratidae (Epideroceras) and, questionably, Coeloceratidae (?Tetraspidoceras). A new species Asteroceras dommerguesi sp. nov. is described. A sequence of biostratigraphic units was reconstructed and correlated with known biostratigraphic units (zones, subzones and biohorizons) of the Mediterranean area. The ammonite assemblages were found to be close to those of the northern Tethyan margin (Pontic and Austroalpine subprovinces).

A new northern serotine bat Eptesicus nilssonii varangus subsp. nov. is described on the base of an incomplete skull and a mandibular fragment from the Lower Pleistocene deposits of the Taurida cave in the central Crimea. This is the earliest record of the species. The presence of E. nilssonii (Keyserling et Blasius, 1839) in the Early Pleistocene bat assemblage of the Taurida cave indicates that this species lived in the south of Eastern Europe before its spreading into Central and Southeastern Europe.

A new northern serotine bat Eptesicus nilssonii varangus subsp. nov. is described on the base of an incomplete skull and a mandibular fragment from the Lower Pleistocene deposits of the Taurida cave in the central Crimea. This is the earliest record of the species. The presence of E. nilssonii (Keyserling et Blasius, 1839) in the Early Pleistocene bat assemblage of the Taurida cave indicates that this species lived in the south of Eastern Europe before its spreading into Central and Southeastern Europe.

A new extinct subspecies of the Mehely’s horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus mehelyi scythotauricus subsp. nov., is described on the base of an incomplete skull from the Lower Pleistocene deposits of the Taurida cave in the central Crimea. It is the largest member of the R. euryale group. In terms of the evolutionary level, it is intermediate between Plio-Pleistocene R. mehelyi birzebbugensis Storch, 1974 and recent members of the species, but its large size and relatively narrow upper molars may indicate belonging to a separate phylogenetic lineage within R. mehelyi Matschie, 1901. R. mehelyi scythotauricus subsp. nov. is the first fossil record of the species in the Crimea; it is also one of the northernmost finds of R. mehelyi.

The cranial and mandibular remains of a large serotine bat Eptesicus praeglacialis Kormos, 1930 are described from the Lower Pleistocene deposits of the Taurida cave in the central Crimea. This is the first finding of the skull material of E. praeglacialis and the first record of the species in Crimea. Judging by the tooth wear stages, the remains of both young and adult specimens are present in the taphocenosis. The small mammal tooth marks on the bones (caused by eating the remnants of soft tissues) in the absence of signs of digestion, characterizing materials from the predatory bird pellets, indicate that the taphocenosis includes the remains of E. praeglacialis individuals that used the cave as a shelter and died there. This corresponds to the idea of appearance of hibernation in caves as a climatically determined ecological adaptation in some European forest-dwelling bats (including Eptesicus) at the Pliocene–Pleistocene transition.

The article considers the results of a comprehensive study of the Cretaceous-Eocene deposits of the Central Crimea (Ak-Kaya mount.). The temperature and salinity of the formation of Maastrichtian and Eocene rocks have been determined, and a correlation has been made with the global climatic event EЕСO (Early Eocene Climate Optimum). The synchronicity of the formation of steep submeridional fractures and the basal horizon of the Eocene has been proved. Three major stages of deformation have been identified: pre-Eocene, Eocene, and post-Eocene. It is shown that the Eocene stage corresponds to the formation of paleoseismic dislocations during the main phase of tectonic activity in the Pontids (Eastern Turkey).

Formation History of the Valanginian Deposits, Southwestern and Central Crimea