Crimea Research Articles

Eastern Glass in the Byzantine Material Culture of Sugdeja of the Second Half of the 13th Century

Introduction. One of the important components of the material culture of Sugdeja in the second half of the 13th – beginning of the 14th century is glassware, the production center of which is localized in the cities of the Middle East, Transcaucasia, and Byzantium. It is one of those components of the complex of finds that unite the material culture of Sugdeja and other provincial Byzantine cities of the second half of the 13th century. Small amounts of glassware were also found during excavations of other large urban centers of Taurica. The source base of the work is all glass vessels recorded during ground and underwater excavations in Sugdeja and the village Novy Svet, occurring, including from closed complexes. This is important for finding out the frequency of finds. However, in this case, only reliably definable fragments are used. Despite individual publications, they were not analyzed in the complex. Methods and materials. Standard methods of comparative morphological and stylistic analysis were used. Analysis. The use of the most complete source base allows for the first time to estimate the approximate volume of imports of glass products into the medieval city of the eastern part of the Crimean Peninsula during the third quarter of the 13th – the first quarter of the 14th century. Results. The obtained data make it possible to confidently compare all the findings used in the work with well-known groups of glass products. At the same time, we can reasonably talk about the predominance of certain types. This serves as a reliable argument in favor of the assumption that most of the glass products were not personal property but the subject of trade imports, along with glazed ceramics and other goods.

SEISMICITY of the CRIMEAN-BLACK SEA REGION in 2020

In 2020, the monitoring of the seismic situation in the Crimean-Black Sea region was carried out by a network of nine digital seismic stations located on the Crimean Peninsula. The catalog includes infor mation on 88 events with energy classes Kп=4.4–11.3. An updated map of the energy representativeness Kmin of earthquakes with an increased area within the isolines Kmin=7–8 is presented. The restored observations at the Kerch station increased the sensitivity of the network in the eastern part of the region. The existing network of stations provides without gaps the registration of earthquakes with a magnitude of M≥4.0, and for the main seismic zones: Sevastopol, Yalta, Alushta, Sudak, Kerch Peninsula – with a magnitude of M≥3.0. On the basis of the information obtained, a catalog of earthquakes with the main kinematic and dynamic parameters was compiled, an analysis was carried out and the features of seismicity of individual regions of the region were indicated. A detailed description of the seismic situation in various districts of the region is given. The period under consid eration is characterized by moderate seismic activity in the region, which is below the long-term average. The greatest activation of seismic processes was observed in 2020 in the Kerch-Anapa and Northwestern areas. In the Kerch-Anapa area, two tangible earthquakes with a maximum observed intensity of I=4–5 occurred in five settle ments on the coast of the Caucasus. An earthquake of the maximum energy class Kп=11.3, moment magnitude Mw=4.03 was realized on March 15, at 05h36m. The released seismic energy in the Northwestern area in 2020 significantly exceeded the 10-year average. Solutions of focal mechanisms were obtained for the 2 strongest earth quakes.

New data on the distribution and biology of Jordanita (Roccia) volgensis (Möschler, 1862) (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae, Procridinae) in the Crimea

Jordanita (Roccia) volgensis (Möschler, 1862) is found in the western part of the Crimean Peninsula where its larval host-plant is Achillea leptophylla M. Bieb. (Asteraceae).

Yuzhno-churubashskoe settlement, eastern crimea. Seismic-gravitational and seismic-inertial deformations

Comprehensive studies (archaeological, archeo- and paleoseismological, georadar profiling) were carried out, which made it possible to establish the genesis of the destruction of the Yuzhno-Churubashskoe settlement (a large estate on the Nymphea Choir) in the Eastern Crimea. A strong seismic event with a possible focus along the southwestern limit of the Churubash estuary, one of the segments of the Parpach-Taman’ active fault, led to the formation of landslide bodies to the southwest of the fault. The submeridional plane of separation of one of them crossed the ancient settlement approximately in the middle, forming a visible flexure in the bedrock of the archaeological monument – a seismic-gravitational deformation. Strong seismic movements from the seismic source led to the collapse of all building structures and severe deformation of the preserved lower rows of masonry: tilts, horizontal shifts and rotations of parts of the walls – seismic-inertial deformations. Taking into account the proximity of the seismic focus and the severe destruction of all the buildings of the settlement, we assume that the estate fell into the epicenter zone of an ancient earthquake, where the intensity of seismic movements was at least Io ≥ IX points. Judging by the finds of amphoric stamps, chernolak ceramics, as well as a Bosporan coin, this large estate on the Nymphea Choir ceases to exist during a serious earthquake and a strong fire at the beginning of the fourth quarter of the IV century BC. It is possible that we observed traces of this earthquake earlier in Nymphaeum: the Nymphaeum structures built in the V–IV centuries BC were very seriously damaged – they were completely or partially destroyed. Further studies of active geological structures and archaeological sites will help to more accurately parameterize the identified seismic event, which will serve the purpose of a more accurate assessment of the seismic hazard of the Crimean Peninsula.

Obraz Morza Czarnego w krymskich chrematonimach marketingowych

This article is devoted to the names of commercial and service points on the Crimean Peninsula. Onomastic research focuses on answering the question of how the creators of names reflect the Black Sea and the entire coastal space. The author also seeks answers to the question regarding general naming tendencies that can be noticed in the analyzed units. The analyzed material showed that two types of names dominate in Crimea. These are traditional and modern names. The Black Sea depicted in them appears to be benevolent, but also dangerous. The trade names therefore show that the inhabitants of the Crimean Peninsula appreciate their past and tradition, but are also aware of and need for changes regarding services, goods and their naming.

Biodiversity of soldier flies (Diptera, Stratiomyidae) of the Crimean Peninsula

Annotated list of soldier flies (Diptera, Stratiomyidae) of the Crimean Peninsula is presented. It comprises 42 species from 14 genera of 6 subfamilies. Nine species are recorded for the first time in the Crimea. The fauna of Stratiomyidae of the Crimean Peninsula is compared with the faunas of countries situated around the Black Sea (Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey).

A little-known source about the initial stage of Mongol penetration into Crimean Gothia

Most of the sources, telling about the initial stage of Mongol penetration into the Crimean Peninsula, belong to a later time (after the 14th century). Reports relating to the 20th-40th years of the 13thcentury are unique and therefore especially valuable. Among them, was almost unnoticed the testimony of the papal ambassadors Giovanni da Pian del Carpini and Benedict of Poland, who traveled to Mongolia in 1245–1247, about the Saxons, whose country was located south of the Cuman steppe. The first author reports on the successful defense of the city of Saxons from the Mongol siege, and the second directly identifies these people with the Goths. This gives grounds to associate these reports with one of the early Mongol campaigns against the Crimean Gothic (in 1222/23 or 1238/39). In this regard, the information of the authors of the 16th century (Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, G. Torquatus), who compared the language of the Crimean Goths specifically with the Saxon (Low German) dialect of the German language, is of the value.

Evaluating Evaporation Using Measurement Data from Experimental Grounds in Crimean Peninsula

Evaluating Evaporation Using Measurement Data from Experimental Grounds in Crimean Peninsula

Assessing the Reproduction Quality of Meteorological Characteristics by Several Atmospheric Reanalysis Models on the Territory of Crimean Peninsula

Assessing the Reproduction Quality of Meteorological Characteristics by Several Atmospheric Reanalysis Models on the Territory of Crimean Peninsula

Карты оценки социально-экономической среды для развития социокультурных видов туризма: опыт Крыма

The methodology for compiling an assessment map of the degree of favorableness of the socio-economic environment for the development of socio-cultural types of tourism in Crimea is considered. A hypothesis has been put forward about the existence of a territorial disproportion in the degree of favorableness of the socio-economic environment for the development of socio-cultural types of tourism in the plain, mountain and coastal regions of the Crimean Peninsula. The nature of territorial imbalances in the favorable socio-economic environment of socio-cultural tourism is due to differences in the saturation of the Crimean territories with cultural heritage objects and the state of general economic and special infrastructure. Sociocultural types of tourism include specific forms and processes of organization and development of the sociocultural space of the region aimed at satisfying the cognitive, spiritual, moral, communicative and aesthetic needs of people. Groups of socio-economic conditions and factors that are important for the development of socio-cultural types of tourism in Crimea have been identified. Analytical maps of the territorial structure of the cultural heritage of Crimea and the conference tourism infrastructure on the peninsula have been constructed, reflecting certain aspects of the socio-economic environment of the region, influencing the degree of its favorableness for the organization of various types of socio-cultural tourism. A score assessment was made of the degree of favorable socio-economic conditions for the development of socio-cultural types of tourism in the context of 11 urban districts and 14 municipal districts of the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, with subsequent visualization of the results in the form of a comprehensive analytical and synthetic map. The map of the favorableness of the socio-economic environment of Crimea for the development of socio-cultural types of tourism confirmed the presence of territorial imbalances for this type of recreation on the peninsula. More than half of the territorial-administrative units of Crimea have a low degree of favorable socio-economic environment for the development of socio-cultural types of tourism. It is concluded that it is necessary to change the information image of Crimea to motivate tourists to visit its plain (steppe) regions and saturate territories with a low degree of favorable socio-economic environment with artificial attractions for socio-cultural tourism.

Геоинформационный анализ климатической обусловленности почвообразования на территории Крымского полуострова

Modern studies of directional climate change, which are aimed at identifying the heterogeneity of trends both over territory and over time, actively use spatial analysis and mapping results to overcome the problem of converting discrete data from a limited number of meteorological stations into a conditional continuum surface. The purpose of the work was to use geoinformation technologies to establish spatial patterns of distribution of climatic energy costs for soil formation on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula across three time slices: for two 30-year periods of climate norms that were established by the World Meteorological Organization (1961–1990 and 1991–2020) and the retrospective stage (before 1960). Meteorological data on heat and moisture supply indicators were integrated into the calculated values of climatic energy costs for soil formation for irregularly located weather stations and then converted into grapho-mathematical abstractions of the spatial distribution of the estimated parameter using the Tension Spline method. The results of mapping the spatial distribution of climatic energy costs for soil formation showed that they increased over two 30-year periods (1961–1990 and 1991–2020) compared to the previous stage by 8 % and 10 %, respectively. Moreover, for the modern period (1991–2020), with a general increase in energy costs for soil formation by 72 % of the area of the Crimean Peninsula, territorial differences in its individual parts were established. If in the center and southeast of the peninsula a significant increase in the energy potential of the climate was noted, then on the southern coast (east of Yalta), on the contrary, a decrease in this indicator was noted. The results obtained and assessments of the energy potential of the climate over the past 30 years create an information basis for determining the effectiveness of soil renaturation in the regimes of post-agrogenic development and rehabilitation agriculture.

New group of glazed Anatolian Pottery from the Ottoman fortress of Azak

The article introduces a new group of glazed pottery of Anatolian production from the archaeological studies of different years (1962, 2004, 2020) on the territory of the former Ottoman fortress of Azak in the North-Eastern Azov Region. Among the finds, there are 20 fragments of open shaped vessels (bowls, plates) and one fragment of the lid which originate from redeposited cultural layer of the site dated back to the late Middle Ages – Modern period. Close analogies can be found on the Crimean peninsula in the materials from the excavations in Sudak, Aluston, Cembalo, Mangup, Partenit, Biyuk-Lambat (Maly Mayak), and Chufut-Kale where they are generally dated by the last quarter of 15th–17th century AD, as well as in South-Western Georgia (Gonio fortress in Adjara) and on the Taman Peninsula (the Taman fortified settlement) in the cultural layer of the 16th–17th centuries AD. Production centre for this group of Ottoman pottery has not yet been established. The group got its conventional name ‘thick-walled bichrome bowls’ due to the dominant archaeological remains of thick-walled bowls with the characteristic decor style in the Crimea.

ПРИМЕНЕНИЕ МЕТАЛЛИЧЕСКОГО КУПОЛА В КОТЕДЖЕ ПРИ ОСВОЕНИИ БАЛАКЛАВСКОГО ПОБЕРЕЖЬЯ ЧЕРНОГО МОРЯ

Development issues that remain relevant include determining the direction of development and development of the territory in the area of Vasilyeva Balka in the city of Balaklava in the presence of currently existing constants and variables. The territory development object is characterized by unique and potentially high consumer properties, provided that it is developed as a recreation center. Here it is necessary to pay attention to factors that contribute to the development of the territory, obstacles and neutral ones. Most hotels in Balaklava, as independent units, have a poorly developed infrastructure, a low level of customer service and an outdated number of rooms, which greatly reduces their level of competitiveness and attractiveness to consumers. The location of the site of the recreation center "VASILI" in the mountainous and wooded part of the city of Balaklava involves the rational development of the site in the form of the construction of separate comfortable cottages. Comfortable cottages are designed in the form of buildings with a metal frame, and the second floor is made in the form of a mesh dome. The basis is the following design solution: the 1st floor is a post-and-beam system with plan dimensions of 8.8 m by 6.4 m, the second floor is a mesh dome with a diameter of 10.8 meters, a height of 5.4 meters with a ring balcony with an overhang of 1.5 m. The research carried out made it possible to obtain a space-planning and constructive solution for the building that has an exclusive appearance and the possibility of significant glazing of the building, which is very original and preferable for the southern regions of the Crimean Peninsula

«УЧРЕДИТЬ НА ЮЖНОМ БЕРЕГУ КРЫМСКОГО ПОЛУОСТРОВА В СЕЛЕНИИ ЯЛТАХ ТАМОЖЕННУЮ ЗАСТАВУ…»: К ИСТОРИИ СОЗДАНИЯ И ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ ЯЛТИНСКОЙ ТАМОЖНИ И ЮЖНОГО ОТРЯДА ТАВРИЧЕСКОЙ БРИГАДЫ ПОГРАНИЧНОЙ СТРАЖИ

The article examines the history of the creation and activities of the Yalta customs outpost (later the Yalta customs), which celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2024. Based on archival documents, some of which are being introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, as well as previously published statistical materials, collections of the customs department and other official publications of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Empire, the main stages of interaction between customs institutions, border and quarantine guard units operating in the Taurida province are determined in the 19th century. The work of these authorities in peacetime and the features of their functioning during the Crimean (Eastern) War of 1853–1856 and the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 had been analyzed. Measures aimed at optimizing the work of these units in difficult conditions of combat operations and occupation of the Crimean Peninsula by the enemy had been studied. The specifics and sources of formation of personnel of the Yalta customs outpost, units of the Taurida border guard brigade, and quarantine guard units stationed in the province had been identified. It is concluded that the organization of customs, quarantine and border services on the territory of the Taurida province, namely, on the southern coast of Crimea in the 19th century was well thought out and fully consistent with local specifics, since the peninsula was not only the center of external and internal trade operations in the Northern Black Sea region, but also the most important region in geopolitical and strategic terms. Russia, which has repeatedly faced the need to eliminate external threats while simultaneously increasing its economic potential, has taken the necessary steps to ensure the normalization of the activities of customs institutions in the region.

Variability of Morphological Characters of the Genus Alburnoides (Pisces, Leuciscidae) from Watercourses in Southern Russia

The variability of the morphological characters of the genus Alburnoides Jeitteles, 1861 from watercourses in the south of Russia (five rivers of the Crimean Peninsula and two rivers of the Krasnodar Territory) is considered. It has been established that in spirlins within the study areas, body sizes average from 60.1 ± 1.45 mm in individuals from the river Gostagayka (Krasnodar region) up to 88.2 ± 1.87 mm in fish from the river Angara (Crimean Peninsula). Using the Mann–Whitney test, statistically significant differences were registered between the samples in most plastic characters; they were absent in meristic characters. In the studied regions, heterogeneity in the structure of the genus Alburnoides was noted: according to the results of cluster analysis for the totality of all studied characters, the greatest similarity was found in samples from Crimean rivers that are geographically close to each other (rivers Chernaya, Belbek, Kacha and Alma), but group from the river Angara adjoins them at a higher level of divergence. A separate group is formed by samples from the rivers of the Krasnodar Territory. The obtained data are consistent with the literary information on the formation of the ichthyofauna in the rivers of Crimea; the established clear differences between the charaters from the rivers of southern Russia require a more detailed study.

Flash floods on the northern coast of the Black Sea: Formation and characteristics

Flash floods are one of the most dangerous hydrometeorological events in the world. The current study investigates flash floods on the northern Black Sea Coast. The data about stochastic and relatively stable factors of flash flood formation (such as hydrological, meteorological, lithological, geomorphological, and anthropogenic parameters) were collected for 22 events. The main trigger of flash floods is heavy rainfall of high intensity in the region but in some cases flash flood occurrence is connected with combinations of several “non-critical” factors. The small watershed area (≤351 km2) of river basins experiencing flash floods promotes very rapid flow concentration. Analysis of extreme precipitation demonstrates significant increasing trends in river basins on the Crimean Peninsula and decreasing a maximum precipitation amount in 5 days (r5d) and 1 day (r1d) in river basins in the Caucasus Black Sea Coast in the 21st century as determined by processing of Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for Global precipitation measurement (IMEGR) satellite data. At the same time land network data indicates increasing r5d at the Anapa and r1d at the Tuapse meteorological stations in 1961–2020. More frequent occurrence of flash floods has been suggested in the area due to statistical analysis of the longest precipitation ranges. The main reason for significant social and economic damage is uncontrolled human activity in flooded areas on the northern Black Sea Coast.

Confirmation of the presence of Tipulia tipuliformis (Clerck, 1759) (Lepidoptera, Sesiidae) in the Crimea

The presence of the pest species Tipulia tipuliformis (Lepidoptera, Sesiidae) is confirmed in the Crimean Peninsula with the help of sex attractants in 10 localities.

Климатические и палеоклиматические факторы почвообразования на территории Крымского полуострова

The article provides data on the peculiarities of climate dynamics on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula during the Holocene. Taking into account paleoclimatic data is necessary to predict the direction of evolution of soils and soil cover of the peninsula. It is especially important to take into account the presence of relict properties of soils, taking into account the progressive anthropogenic interference in the processes of modern soil formation. Attention is focused on the need to take into account features unusual for zonal soils when developing Soil management strategies. After all, most often, for objective reasons, a changed or inherited trait disappears forever from the current natural environment and cannot be restored.

Сучасні глобальні проблеми етнонаціональної політики України: на прикладі правового регулювання статусу національних меншин

The article is devoted to the analysis of the problems of ethno-national policy in modern conditions of the development of statehood and points to the prospects of improving the legislation in the context of ensuring the proper legal status of national minorities. The article examines the main problems in the field of ethno-national policy of Ukraine and legal regulation of the status of national minorities. The author emphasizes the absence of a single strategy for the development of ethno-national relations, which leads to fragmented legislation. The implementation of a comprehensive normative act could determine the direction of the development of statehood and form the ideological basis for future normative acts regarding the status of national minorities, indigenous peoples, and other ethnic groups. It is also emphasized that the issues of national minorities were often ignored in national law, and the legislative framework regarding indigenous peoples and the protection of the status of national minorities was formed mainly as a reaction to external circumstances, such as the occupation of the Crimean peninsula. Gaps in legislation make it difficult to ensure the rights of national minorities, in particular, due to the lack of up-to-date statistical data, since the all-Ukrainian population census was conducted only once in 2001. The author draws attention to the low level of tolerance in Ukrainian society, which is demonstrated by a survey conducted in 2022–2024. Respondents often do not consider their actions illegal or discriminatory towards Roma, but do not wish to have themin their environment. This indicates a lack of education regarding national characteristics as a factor of discrimination and a lack of attention on the part of the state to issues of language moderation and protection of the rights of national minorities. The lack of an effective policy of integration of national minorities is another significant problem. The legislator often considers national minorities as a group of citizens of a different ethnic origin living in Ukraine traditionally, which is a wrong approach. In order to improve ethno-national politics, it is necessary to solve problems in related areas, such as education, political rights, participation in local selfgovernment and the fight against hate speech.

The Late Middle and Early Upper Palaeolithic in Crimea (Ukraine)—A Review of the Neanderthal Refugium Hypothesis

The Crimean Peninsula contains numerous important Palaeolithic sites. It has been considered a potential Neanderthal refugium in Eurasia prior to their disappearance or assimilation, and subsequent replacement by Homo sapiens. This understanding is primarily drawn from lithic technological analysis and radiocarbon dating. However, recent developments in the latter suggest that many of the previously obtained radiocarbon dates from Crimean sites may be too young. The chronological sequence from the site of Kabazi II is a case in point, where differences between dates of bulk collagen and those of single amino acids range up to 10,000 radiocarbon years. These discrepancies are argued to arise from sample contamination and its lack of removal in bulk collagen dating. In this paper, we undertake a critical re-evaluation of results from seven Palaeolithic archaeological sites in the Crimean Peninsula: Kabazi II, Siuren I, Buran-Kaya III, Zaskalnaya V and Zaskalnaya VI, Kabazi V and Starosel’e. Our analysis of radiocarbon results from various sites supports the view that radiocarbon dates obtained so far tend to be too young, which has been indicated in the stratigraphy and lithic assemblages. By harnessing robust radiocarbon protocols in future chronometric work, such as the extraction of hydroxyproline, ninhydrin derivatisation or the purification of amino acids using XAD-2 resin, there is potential for constructing accurate chronologies. Furthermore, improved dating accuracy holds the promise of significant additional insights into the prehistoric sequence of the Crimean Peninsula and its potential role as a refugium for Neanderthals prior to their disappearance.