Sergey Vnukov

Sergey Saprykin

The authors publish two inscriptions on stone and one graffito from the settlement of Kara Tobe in North-Western Crimea, dated to the late Hellenistic period. The first inscription, a dedication to the goddess Virgin, patroness of Chersonesus Taurica (or a theophoric name connected with that of the goddess), attests to a strong religious influence of Chersonesus on its remote chora. The second inscription, a dedication made by a kybernetes and his crew, once more proves the intensive use of the sea way along the coast of Western Tauris. The inscription was made by a crew of a ship which had arrived in North-Western Crimea, most probably for trade purposes. It mentions the kybernetes Theotimos and two or three sailors: Dorotheos, Malakos (or Malakon) and perhaps Doros, as well as a certain Be(…) The third inscription, a graffito on a vase, proves the spread of Achilleus’ cult in this region, probably, from the Ionian centres of the North-Western areas(?) of Western Pontos.