Mikhail Abramzon

Andrey Novichikhin

The paper is a preliminary publication of an enormous hoard of Pantikapaion copper coins of the 3rd century BC found near a group of Hellenistic estates in the vicinity of the farmstead of Usatova Balka (Anapa district). This territory was the nearest chora of Gorgippia. A Sinopean amphora and a big red-clay jug contained altogether 21 366 coins. This is the biggest hoard among all known Greek coin hoards found in the North Pontic area. It belongs to the group of Bosporan hoards of the monetary crisis period. The hoard was concealed either in ca. 270–250s BC under the threat of invasion of the Sartmatians, Siraki and other tribes of the Kuban area and Meotis, or closer to the date of the great fire in Gorgippia in the mid 3rd century BC. The catastrophe in Gorgippia led to the devastation of its chora, ruining of some estates and also to the deposition of hoards including those two from the settlements near the farmstead of Usatova Balka.