Paying archeologists a visit
1 July 2011
Oleg Deripaska discussed the latest happenings at the excavation and the ongoing archeological center construction with the archeologists at Phanagoria.
On June 25th, the Russian Academy of Sciences began its 2011 field expedition at Phanagoria, Russia’s biggest ancient archaeological site. Oleg Deripaska, founder of the Volnoe Delo Foundation, which has supported the expedition since 2004, visited the expedition team on June 29th.
An excavation of impressive scale on the shore of the Taman Bay in Krasnodar Krai is being conducted in the city acropolis, necropolis, in the aquatic are of the submerged area of the city, as well as at various mansions surrounding the city – all in all 15 digs on an area of over 2 500 sq. km.
2011 marks an important event in the history of the expedition – the start of construction of the Science and Culture Complex in the Sennoi township of the the Temryuk district (construction began on April 13th). The Complex will include a history and archeology museum, library, laboratories and all of the required infrastructure for the comprehensive and in-depth study of the historical and cultural heritage of Kuban. The construction of the Complex is funded by Oleg Deripaska’s Volnoe Delo Foundation, in partnership with Konstantin Nikolaev’s N-Trans company and with the support of the governor of Krasnodar Krai Alexander Tkachev. The construction of the center is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011.
Oleg Deripaska plays an active role in the development of the Foundation’s project, oversees their execution, and in several cases even participates in the projects directly. Such is the case with Phanagoria, where he held a meeting at the site of the future center, during which the construction workers reported on the building process and confirmed that it would be completed on schedule.
During his stay at the Phanagoria archeological monument Oleg Deripaska also visited the “Upper City” excavation, the underwater dig, the underwater archeology group camp - and the Воyur Mountain burial mound excavation that had only begun this year. The first results of the mount’s excavation (work on the southern slope began on June 22nd) have already proven to be very promising. The scientists have located a number of underground corridors leading to the center of the mound, which houses ancient skeletal remains. This structure is the first of its kind to ever be found in these types of burial mounds.