THE DATE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF TOMB II AT GORGIPPIA (1975 EXCAVATIONS) * MIKHAIL TREISTER In 1975 the Archaeological expedition of the Institute of Archaeology, Mos- cow, led by E.M. Alekseeva, found two spectacular tombs. The rst tomb with fresco paintings, showing the labours of Herakles, was robbed in antiquity: Inside were found three massive limestone sarcophagi, originally containing ve burials. 1 Next to it, tomb II included two intact sarcophagi with rich burial inventory. 2 Together with a grave cut in the rock found nearby the following year, 3 they probably belonged to a single burial complex, covered with a common * This article is written in frames of the research project sponsored by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft , devoted to the study of jewellery and toreutics from the North Pontic area of the Late Hellenistic and Early Roman periods (director of the project – Friederike Fless, Archaeological Institute, University of Leipzig). 1 Alekseeva et al. 1976, ill. on p. 106 above; Alekseeva 1984, 83, pls. XLII, CX, 1-2; ead. 1986a, 35-37; ead. 1986b, 67; ead. 1994, 54-55, gs. 10 a-b; ead. 1997, 189-190, g. 57-58, 214-218, g. 62; 236, 242-244, pls. 256-259; ead. 2002, 107 ff., gs. 18, 20-21. 2 Alekseeva et al. 1976, 107-108, ill. on p. 106 below – sarcophagus: “Close to the painted tomb there was excavated a normal tomb, cut in the rock, which was lled with soil after the sarcophagi were put into it. One of the sarcophagi is similar to those of the painted tomb. It contained the burial of two girls. Each had gold ornaments, made specially for the burial. The second sarcophagus is decorated with delicately cut belts, niches, columns and rosettes. Its lid was connected with the sarcophagus with an intact metal cramp. It contained both personal belongings of the deceased, as well as items executed specially for the burial. A sword with gold handle, in a gold scabbard, gold nger rings with inlaid gems, gold bula, buckle, beads, torque, plaques and gural decorations of horse-harness, gold wreath with the bust of Aphrodite, gold leaves and plaques, decorating the clothes, silver goblet, glass ask, big iron tripod (cf. ‘folding chair’ – Alekseeva 1984, 84), – all these were found in the carved sarcophagus. Near the sarcophagi there were found bronze lamps with the heads of birds on the handles, silver spoons, a mottled glass phiale, bronze enamelled incense- burner, bronze strigils with enamelled handles, glass vessels. This tomb belongs to the last period of Gorgippia – 2 nd - rst half of the 3 rd century AD. The painted tomb is earlier: its style allows a date in the second half of the 1 st -2 nd century AD (cf. Alekseeva 1984, 83 – the style of painting allows to date it to the 3 rd century AD). See also Alekseeva 1984, 84 – “:::in sarcophagi and on the oor of the tomb ::: there were found ::: details of horse harness ::: of the 1 st -3 rd century AD.” 3 Alekseeva 1977, 84. © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2003 Ancient Civilizations9, 1-2 Also available online – www.brill.nl