Numerous finds from excavations at ancient Olbia

Archaeologists discovered over 300 artefacts during excavations at Olbia, an ancient Greek town in modern-day Ukraine. The finds date back 2500 years.

Excavations at the site (by Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie)

The town is located near the village of Parutine, near Nikołajew. It once was a port funded in 7th century BC by the settlers from Greek Miletus. It developed into an important, rich urban organism.So far it was believed the city was occupied until 375 AD when the Huns raided Europe, but recent find of pottery vessels made by Goths indicate that it might have been still occupied up to 5th century AD. The archaeological research is being conducted in the most elevated area of the ancient city, where temples and a Roman fort were once located.

Aerial overview of the site (by Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie)

So far archaeologists managed to discover such artefacts as ornamented pins and fibulae, metal tweezers, glass vessels and beads, fragments of bricks and roof tiles, and numerous bronze coins minted in Olbia in the shape of a dolphin. The coins referred to the crest of the city, which was an eagle catching a dolphin with its claws. The coins date to the period of Olbia’s greatest prosperity between 6th and 5th century BC.

Dolphin-shaped coin from Olbia (by Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie)

(after Nauka w Polsce & Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie)

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