Sanctuary of the Taurians on Gurzuf Yaila

Sanctuary of the Taurians on Gurzuf Yaila

Walking through the Gurzuf Yaila this winter, I was surprised to find signs there that read “Protected. Archaeological Monument”. I was surprised because I had already been there before, but noticed the signs only now... Inspection of the place did not yield anything, everything was covered with snow. What did archaeologists find on Gurzufskaya Yayla (about 500 meters along the path from the Gurzuf saddle to the Arbor of the Winds)? To find out, I turned to the ubiquitous Internet. The information obtained from the network was quite scarce, but in principle sufficient.
It turns out that archaeological excavations have been going on on the plateau for about 10 years. In time immemorial, there was a sanctuary of the Taurians (Crimean aborigines). During the excavations, fragments of ceramic and glass vessels, ancient coins, bronze and silver figurines of ancient gods were found. The ancient gods alone were not enough. In addition to the sanctuary of the Tauri, the remains of a Christian temple, built approximately in the 7th century, were discovered. Later (in the 15th century) the temple was apparently rebuilt by Muslims.
Items found at the excavation site are now on display in the Yalta Museum. The sanctuary itself is now just shallow pits with excavated walls.

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