Relative Sea-Level Changes Throughout the Last 6000 Years on the Taman Peninsula (Black Sea, Azov Sea, Russia): a Geoarchaeological Study

Relative sea-level changes throughout the last 6000 years on the Taman Peninsula (Black Sea, Azov Sea, Russia): a geoarchaeological study

Eric FOUACHE 1, Alexei POROTOV 2, Christel MÜLLER 3, Youri GORLOV 4, N. BOLOKHOVSKAYA 22, M. KAITAMBA 2

Key-Words: sea-levels, geoarchaeology, neo-tectonics, Holocene, Black Sea, Russia. The Taman peninsula is geologically attached to the western end of the Caucasus. It was the site of a Greek settle- ment as early as the 6 th century BC. Our geoarchaeological methodology combines geomorphological, archaeological and paleoenvironmental (sedimentology, carbon-datings on sea-shells) data in order to reconstruct the evolution of the coastline. After the peak of the last post-glacial transgression, a main island and four islets were located between Crimea and the Taman peninsula. The alluviation of the Kouban river then filled the space and is the origin of the island’s attachment to the mainland. At the time of the Greek colonisation the process was not over. The present sea level appears regionally to be the highest level ever reached on the peninsula over the last 6000 years. It seems that for the Anapa area and the Tchouchtchka Spit area it is possible to propose a sea-level curve characterised by a slow, continuous rise during the past 6000 years. On the Taman peninsula itself, the se- dimentary record of this slow ascent has been distorted by a heavy tectonic subsidence. On at least two areas on the peninsula, we have identified this neo-tectonic subsidence effect, linked to the effect of the activity of mud volcanoes. In spite of this very active neotectonics, our data confirm the possibility for a period of downturn in seawater during the so-called « Phanagorian Regression » from the end of the 2 nd millenium BP up to the 1 st millenium AD.

Introduction The Taman peninsula, situated to the south of frame of the Franco/Russian archaeological Russia, is limited to the west by the Kerch survey of the Taman Peninsula, directed by Strait, called Bosporus Cimmerius in Christel Müller and Youri Gorlov (Fouache et Antiquity, to the north by the Sea of Azov, the al. 2000). Palus Maeotis of Antiquity, to the south by According to the results of studies carried the pontus euxines , the current Black Sea, and out over the last thirty years, it seems that the to the East by the present Kouban delta and Holocene transgression in the Black Sea, the vast marshy deltaic plain of the Pre- which starts later than the global ocean evolu- Kouban (Fig. 1). The geoarchaeological study tion around 7500 BP (Ryan, Pitman 1998), of the Taman peninsula and the Kouban delta was characterised by a succession of rapid sea- is the result of a partnership between the level fluctuations (Pirazzoli, 1991; Ismailov et Russian Academy of Sciences, the Moscow al. 1989). Those fluctuations (Fig. 2) have Archaeological Institute, the Moscow State been related mostly to climatic changes dur- University, the French School of Archaeology ing the Holocene and the possible distortion in Athens, the French CNRS and the French due to the neo-tectonics factor has been neg- Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The results pre- lected. The new data we obtained by drilling sented here have been obtained within the on the Taman peninsula confirm (Fig. 1) the

Revista de geomorfologie — Vol. 7, 2005, pp. 7–20 8 Eric FOUACHE et al.

N Historical and holocene sand barrier and spit — 10 — 10 Historical and holocene alluvial filling

Historical and holocene IT — 11 — 9 P Azov Sea limans S A 60 89 K Historical and holocene H 40 63 C lagoons T 20 — 8 H — 11 C S3 Pliocene rock (mainly sand U O — 0,2 20 and clay) H 40 C — 2 — 7 T — 0,2 70 Miocene rock (mainly sand 113 — 0,8 99 Tyrambe and clay) Kerch 10 12 — 4 5 5,2 3,4

Colluvial glacis and lower 5 2,9 p 50 o

slope spreading Gulf — 2 1,9 107 114

Patrasys s — 0,6 t — 5 Kepo 40 Artanizovski — 3 Height spot — 4,6 of 14 1 — 1,8 S8 Phanagoria 76 6,2 liman 8 72 Taman S7 — 5 S9 20 7 — 1,8 0 Actual or former channel — 5,4 — 5,2 29 — 5,4 69 3,6 of the Kouban river Hermonassa — 0,2 15,2 5 5 Temrjuk — 3 20 6,6 1,3 a 20 Active cliff, 40 nte more than 20 m high 5 113 20 1 9,5 164 87 121 40 0 Active cliff, 14 less than 20 m high 14,8 5,2 5,2 S1 Historical and holocene 9,9 10,3 coastal marshes 135 4,2 4,2 14,2 1 20 184 40 130 88 Dead mud volcano 20 Kiziltasch 106 148 lagoon 141 Active mud volcano S2

Flexure SU RG 20 AZ SP Supposed fault UKRAINA IT RUSSIA S4 40 Anticlinal axes Azov Sea 162 CRIMEA 177 K o 2 Longshore drift CA u U b A C N A a A S n Black Sea P U A S6 S S Blak Sea P S5 Archaeological site IT

S2 Location of the cores Gorgippia TURKEY (Equidistance : 20 m) 0 10 km Anapa Conception : E.FOUACHE BONNAUD - Paris -Sorbonne 1997 Realisation : F. Fig. 1. Geomorphological map of the Taman peninsula importance of the neo-tectonics effect ed his realm at the expense of the indigenous (Fouache et al. 2004). It is also obvious that tribes of the Asian area, the Sindes and the the Kouban river, by deposit of alluviations, Meotes. The prosperity of Bosporus ended is at the origin of the junction of islands to with the intervention of Mithradates Eupatôr the mainland, but the main object of our at the end of the second and the beginning of study was to propose a paleogeographical the first century BC. In 10 AD, with the reconstruction of the peninsula around 6 th accession of King Aspourgos, the kingdom of century BC. Bosporus became a trading partner with Rome for the following four centuries. The historical importance of the area during Antiquity The necessity of a geoarchaeological The period we are interested in is that of the approach Greek colonization in the 6 th century BC. It The reconstruction of the paleogeography of amounted to the founding of essentially Mile- the peninsula during the time of the Greek co- sian colonies such as Hermonasa, Phanagoria, lonization could not have been carried out Kepoi and Patrasys to name but the most im- without a close collaboration between portant ones. From 480 BC, these cities came archaeologists and geographers. The mobility under the dominion of the kingdom of the of the landscape was illustrated by ancient Arkheanaktides of which the capital was pro- texts as well as by the existence of submerged bably Panticapaeum, the modern-day Kerch. vestiges under the waters of the Taman Gulf. It is the formation of the kingdom called The archaeologist had three questions for the Bosporus, of which the most famous monarch geographer. was Leukôn 1 st of the Spartocides dynasty The first question concerns the peninsula who kept up dynamic commercial relations itself: was it a peninsula, an island or separate with Athens in the 4 th century BC and expand- islands during the 6 th century BC? We know Relative sea/level changes through the last 6000 years 9

0 B A

– 10

– 20 C D Altitude (m) – 30

– 40

CURVE REFERENCE

– 50 A Shilik, 1975 3 B Voskobojnikov et al., 9 5 Age (year BP x 10 ) 0 C 1982 D Nevessky, 1970 Nevessky, 1970 E 0 F Nevessky, 1970 G Balabanov et al., 1981 H Ostrovsky et al., 1977 H

– 10

– 20

– 30 E Altitude (m) F – 40

– 50

– 60

G AA,, B C E D F, G, H

4400

3300 4400

Fig. 2. Reconstitution of Holocene Sea level fluctuations in Black Sea (adapted from Pirazzoli 1991) that the Greek cities of Asian Bosporus were were built, without being able to describe under the control of a sort of administrator, exactly their perimeter based on these sources described in the document of the High alone. Such is the case with Strabo, Empire and called the “Island Official” (with Pomponius Mela, Denys of Alexandria and the word island in the singular). We can also Ammien Marcellin. find, in other literary texts, many allusions to The second question is closely linked to the this island or to these islands where cities first. Strabo and Pomponius Mela described 10 Eric FOUACHE et al.

Azov Sea

......

. .

. . .

. .

. . .

. .

. ....

. .

......

. . .

. .

II ......

. . . IIa ..

. . . . .

. . ..

......

. .

...... Taman

. .

. ..

Peninsula

......

. ..

Crimea . .

III

. .

.. .

......

Black Sea

1 - The boundary of principale tectonic features

I Mega-anticlinoriun of Crimea II Kerch periclinorium IIa Northern Taman Raising Ill Kerch-Taman inter-periclinal zone IV Anapa promonence V Azov-Kuban foredeep zone

2 - Local anticline structures

3 - Location Azov-Kuban foredeep 4 - Present shoreline.

Fig. 3. The general features of geological structure of Kerch-Taman region (Andreev et al., 1976). the former river Hypanis or Coracanda or of the peninsula, which goes with the problem even Antikeites in a confused way. Where of the number of islands. should we place the ancient course of this river, which has at least two branches if these Methodology authors are to be believed? For this study we have designed a geomor- The last question concerns the relative vari- phological map and then we have drilled six ations of sea level and therefore the contours boreholes (Fig. 1) on the peninsula down to Relative sea/level changes through the last 6000 years 11 12 meters deep: one in the Kouban delta (S1), essentially clay, sands and very occasionally one on the Burgaz Spit (S2), one on the limestone (Touzla Cape or Aclileion Cape). Tchouchtchka Spit (S3) and three on the These rocks were deposited on the bottom of Anapa Spit (S4, S5 and S6). We have also the sea, in the position of a retro-arc basin used the archival material collected in the end which stretched from the north to the of the 1960s by E.N. Nevesky (1967) for the Viennese Carpathians to the present Black Russian Shirshof Institute of Oceanology. Sea. The Alpine orogenesis, through its com- This material was kindly given to us by pressive tectonics, provoked the emergence Professor L.A. Nevesky and concerns the of these rocks and their folding along the anti- Gulf of Taman (S7, S8 and S9). Due to practi- clinal and synclinal WSW/ENE axes and the cal reasons, we had to collect samples on the group of NNE/SSW faults (Chnioukov et al. field and to determine the stratigraphy and 1981). The current relief of the Taman penin- lithology on the spot. sula is the result of the evolution of folded To reconstruct the relative sea-level fluctua- ridges in the open air since the end of tions, it was not possible to use archaeologi- Pliocene. The folded ridges have been lev- cal indicators except for determination of a elled (Blagovolin 1962; Blagovolin, global submersion since Late Antiquity Pobedonostsev 1973), which explains the (Abramov 1999, Nikonov 1994, Blavatsky extension of plateaux eroded into cliffs. Since 1985). We have been unable to find precise as early as the end of the Pliocene, along the archaeological indicators, such as jetties and anticlinal axes, diapirism has caused align- fishponds, on the peninsula, and the method ments of mud volcanoes (Chnioukov et al. proposed by Flemming (1979) or Pirazzoli 1981), giving birth to eruptive cones, the (1979) and used by us in Turkey (Fouache et largest of which are over 100 m high and al . 1999) and Croatia (Fouache et al. 2002b), occupy the highest point of the topography. was impossible to enforce here. So we con- The general features of the geological struc- centrated on identification of shell assem- ture of the Taman peninsula are defined by its layout in the area of contact between the fold- blages, characteristic of thanatocenose fauna ed structure of the Causasus and mountainous accumulated at a medium sea level, that Crimea. According to geological data reflect an average position of sea-level with (Chniukov et al. 1981, Andreev et al. 1981, an error margin of +/- 1 m. Peklo et al. 1981, Naumenko 1977), this area Extracted shell material has been deter- includes several tectonic zones (Fig. 3). The mined and paleo-environmentally interpreted northern Taman zone (IIa, Fig. 3) is linked (Kaplin et al. 2001) by T. Yanina at the with the uplifting movement of Crimea’s Geographical Faculty of Moscow State mega-anticlinorium. The Anapa prominence University (Tab. 1). Classical radiocarbon (II, Fig. 3) is in the same type of uplifting dating on these shells was performed at the context due to the proximity of the Caucasus. Geological Institute of the Russian Academy Between these two areas, the Kerch-Taman of Sciences and at the Geographical Faculty inter-periclinal trough is located (III, Fig. 3). of Moscow State University. A calibration Tectonic faults are superimposed on this was carried out, following Stuiver and general feature (Plachotny et al. 1989). On Braziunas (1993), taking into account the sea the basis of geophysical, geological and geo- water reservoir effect. morphological data, the Taman area compri- ses several blocks limited by a number of Geological setting local and regional faults (Fig. 4) of The formations of which the Taman peninsula sublatitudinal and submeridional directions. is made are found on the other side of the Three principal blocks can be observed from Kerch Strait in the Crimea. These formations west to east: the Kerch/Gdanovsky, the are made up of Miocene and Pliocene rocks, Vishestebleevsky and the Djiginsky areas. 12 Eric FOUACHE et al.

14C Age Years Calibrated N°/Depth (m) Index BP Age (Yrs Cal.) S1 (11 - 11.5) GIN-9942 Peat 5949 +/- 80 4884 BC S2 (3.2 - 3.5) GIN_9934 Ostrea edulis, Cerastoderma glaucum, Chlamys glabra 1130 +/- 100 1310 AD S2 (3.6 - 3.8) GIN-9935 Ostrea edulis, Chione gallina, Cerastoderma glaucum 1380 +/- 90 1287 AD S2 (7.8 - 8.0 ) GIN-9939 Cerastoderma glaucum 2080 +/- 200 605 AD S2 (8.1 - 8.2) GIN-9938 Cerastoderma glaucum 2820 +/- 110 317 BC S2 (10 - 10.3) GIN-9937 Cerastoderma glaucum 3180 +/- 290 767 BC S3 (2.8 - 3.0) MGU-1504 Cerastoderma glaucum, Chione gallina, Solen vagina 1260 +/- 60 1380 AD Cerastoderma glaucum, Cardium exiguum, Chione gallina, Loripes Lacteus, Divaricella divaricata, Mysella bidentata, S3 (4.2 - 4.5) MGU-1520 3390 +/- 150 945 BC Paphia discrepans, Gastrana fragilis, Abra alba, Ostrea edulis, Mytilus galloprovincialis

Cerastoderma glaucum, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Chione gal- S3 (7.7 - 8.0) MGU 1502 lina, Sollen vagina, Paphia discrepans, , Cardium exiguum, 4700 +/- 150 2633 BC Ostrea edulis, Gastrana fragilis, Abra ovata, Loripes lacteus

Cerastoderma glaucum, Chione gallina, Ostrea edulis, Paphia S3 (9.0 - 9.3) MGU 1501 5430 +/- 120 3611 BC discrepans Cerastoderma glaucum, Loripes lacteus, Ostrea edulis, S4 (6.7 - 7.0) MGU 1575 1930 +/- 60 711 AD Chione gallina, Donax sp. S4 (7.8 - 8.1) MGU 1565 Cerastoderma glaucum, Ostrea edulis, Chione gallina, Donax sp. 2660 +/- 60 69 BC S4 (10 - 10.3) MGU 1574 Cerastoderma glaucum, Abra ovata 3370 +/- 45 918 BC S5 (2.5 - 3.0) MGU 1517 Cerastoderma glaucum 1595 +/- 50 1051 AD S5 (3.0 - 3.5) MGU 1529 Cerastoderma glaucum 3390 +/- 120 945 BC S5 (5.5 - 6.0) MGU 1516 Cerastoderma glaucum 3730 +/- 100 1399 BC S5 (6.5 - 7.0) MGU 1515 Cerastoderma glaucum 4220 +/- 100 1989 BC S6 ? ? 1570 +/- 100 ? S6 ? ? 3340 +/- 80 ? Chione gallina, Loripes lacteus, Mytillus galloprovincialis, S7 (1.2 - 1.5) MGU 1549 Ostrea edulis, Cardium exigum, Paphia discrepans, Irus irus, 1250 +/- 50 1392 AD Tellina fabula, Gastrana fragilis, Abra ovata S7 (1.8 - 2.0) MGU 1553 ? 2541 +/- 70 160 AD S8 (0.8 - Cerastoderma glaucum, Abra ovata, Mytilaster lineatus, MGU 1564 1160 +/- 50 1141 AD 1.05) Loripes Lacteus, Gastrana fragilis S8 (1.9 - 2.4) MGU 1548 Abra ovata, Loripes Lacteus, Cardium exiguum 2130 +/- 70 551 AD Cerastoderma glaucum, Mytilaster lineatus, Chione gallina, S9 (1.0 - Loripes lacteus, Abra ovata, Chlamys glabra, Gastrana frag- MGU 1545 1240 +/- 50 1398 AD 1.15) ilis, Nassa reticulata, Retusa trunculata, Gifrobia ventrosa, Rissoa sp., Bittium reticulatum

Cerastoderma glaucum, Chione gallina, Gastran fragilis, S9 (2.0 - Ostrea edulis, Cardium exiguum, Abra ovata, Nassa reticula- MGU 1546 2060 +/- 70 624 AD 2.35) ta, Terusa trunculata, Gidrobia ventrosa, Rissoa sp., Bittlium reticulatum

Tab. 1: Radiocarbon datings from the Taman Peninsula. Relative sea/level changes through the last 6000 years 13

Azov Sea

CRIMEA

TAMAN PENINSULA

Kerchensky strait

Black Sea

Trans Regional Fault

Regional Fault

Direction of local structures

Actual coastline

Fig. 4. Regional pattern of tectonic structure (Kerch-Taman area) Results that the warmest and dry conditions pre- From the bottom to its upper part, the S1 core vailed in the intervals 4100-3950, 3500- (Fig. 5), located in the Kouban delta, con- 3300/3200, 2800-2400, 1650-1300 and 1000-900/800 yrs BP. The maxima of humid- tains peat, marine semi-closed bay sediments ity for the studied period correspond with the and then deltaic sediments. Palynological chronological intervals 4500-4300 and 3950- analysis confirms that there was a marine 3500 yrs BP, corresponding with the spread environment during the Greek colonisation of forest communities. During an interval (Bolihovskaya et al. 2004). The radiocarbon from 2500 up to 1500 BP (5 th century BC - 5 th dating obtained on the peat (5940 +/- 50 BP) century AD) the dominance of the steppe for- shows that the maximum penetration of the mation was interrupted by phases of wetter sea occurred at that time. Cores S1, S2 and climate, which caused at first expansion of S6 were also studied (Bolihovskaya et al. the wood-steppe vegetation, and then wide 2004) to establish changes of vegetation (Fig. circulation of broad-leaved woods in the 10). The palynological results have shown landscape. 14 Eric FOUACHE et al.

KOUBAN DELTA 2 S1 BURGAZ SPIT TCHOUCHTCHKA SPIT 1 S2 S3

-1 DELTAIC SEDIMENTS

-2 1260 – 60BP

BARRIER SEDIMENT 1330 – 100BP -3 3390 – 150BP BARRIER SEDIMENT -4 1380 – 90BP 4700 – 150BP

-5 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ MARINE -6 ~ ~ ~ ~ SEMI CLOSE BAY ~ ~ ~ ~ SEDIMENTS ~ -7 ~ 2080 – 100BP ~ (FLANDRIAN ~ ~ TRANGRESSION) -8 ~ BARRIER SEDIMENT ~ 2820 – 110BP ~ ~ ~ -9 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 5430 – 120BP ~ ~ 3180 – 100BP -10 ~ 5940 – 80BP Grey silt without shells -11 Grey to black sand without shells Grey silt ~ ~ ~ Silty clay ~ Grey silty clay with shells debris Grey silty clay whit shells debris ~ Grey to black sand ~ ~ Grey sand with shells, medium to coarse Black sandy silt Peat and singles pebbles

Silty sand homogenous grey clay with shells

Fig. 5. Cores S1, S2, S3 ANAPA SPIT SW! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! NE 6 6 5 5 4 S4 4 3 3 Black Sea 2 2 Vityazevos 1 Lagoon 1 0 0 -1 -1 -2 -2 -3 -3 -4 -4 -5 1930 – 60 BP -5 -6 -6 -7 2660 – 60 BP -7 ~ -8 -8 -9 ~ 3370 – 45 BP -9 -10 ~ -10 ~ -11 -11 0 100 m -12 -12

Dune (Eolian sand) Homogenous grey clay with shells

Yellow fine sand with shells ~ Grey silty clay with shells debris ~ Yellow fine sand with shells debris ~ ~ Silty clay ~

Fig. 6. Core S4 Relative sea/level changes through the last 6000 years 15

EASTERN PART OF ANAPA SPIT

NE" " " " " " " " " " " " " " SW

6 S5 6 S6 4 4

2 Black Sea 2

0 1595 – 50 BP 0 3390 – 140 BP -2 1570 – 100 BP ? -2 3730 – 70 BP -4 -4 3340 – 80 BP 4220 – 100 BP -6 -6

-8 -8

-10 -10

-12 -12 0 100 m

Dune (Eolian sand) Homogenous grey clay with shells

Yellow fine sand with shells Silty sand

Yellow fine sand with shells debris Neogene clay

Fig. 7. Cores S5 and S6 The other cores show an alternation the sea level is located around –2m below the between sandy biodetritic sediment character- present sea level in S5, around – 4m in S3 and istic of beaches and mainly clayey sediments around –9.5m in S2 and S4. We observed for rich in shells (S2 and S3 Fig. 5, S4 Fig. 6, S5 all the curves a relative sea level stabilisation and S6 Fig. 7, S7, S8 and S9 Fig. 8). The between 500 BC and 500 AD. biggest paleogeographical change since Such differences for such a relatively small Antiquity occurs in the gulf of Taman, where area at the scale of the Taman peninsula are most of the city of Phanagoria is now under undoubtedly due to unequal subsidence, itself water (Fig. 8). Was this post-antic submersion due to the neo-tectonic effect. How can this homogenous all over the peninsula? neo-tectonic effect be explained? Following the coherence of our results, the deeper the shells, the older the radiocarbon Discussion dating, for each core we have reconstructed a There is a perfect correlation between tecton- local relative sea level curve (Fig. 9). Then ic units and the three different groups we we could distinguish two zones with a rather observe on relative sea level curves (Fig. 10). similar curve: at Burgaz Spit and Western Burgaz Spit (S2) and Western Anapa Spit (S4) Anapa Spit (S3 and S5) on the one hand, at are located in two characteristic uplifting Tchouchtchka Spit and eastern part of Anapa areas. The Gulf of Taman (S7, S8 and S9), Spit (S2 and S4) on the other. The gulf of Tchouchtchka Spit (S3) and the eastern part Taman is a transition zone between two other of Anapa Spit (S5 and S6) are located in a areas. We can also distinguish a global dis- global subsiding zone. The Taman Gulf is a symmetry between contemporaneous sea le- transition zone between two other areas. vels. The greatest difference is observed for Tectonic measurements (Nikonov 1994, ancient sea levels. For example, in 1000 BC Nikonov et al. 1997) confirm the neo-tectonic 16 Eric FOUACHE et al.

TAMAN GULF W" " " " " " " " " " " " " " E Actual Sea - Level 0 0

-1 S7 -1 Cultural layers -2 S8 of phanagoria -2

-3 S9 -3 1250 – z 50BP z z -4 z -4 2450 – 1160 – 50BP 70BP -5 -5 2130 – 70BP 1240 – 50BP -6 ~ -6 ~ ~ ~ -7 ~ -7 ~ 2060 – 70BP 0 2 km

sandy gravel with shells fine sand to silty sand with shells

z z medium sand with shells debris silt with shells z z ~ ~ coarse sand with shells and shells debris ~ silty clay

Fig. 8. Cores S7, S8 and S9

4000 BC 3500 BC 3000 BC 2500 BC 2000 BC 1500 BC 1000 BC 500 BC 0 500 AD 1000 AD 1500 AD 2000 AD 2500 AD CALIBRATED AGE (yrs.cal) 0

-1

-2 S5

-3 S3 -4 S9 S7 -5 S8

-6

-7 S4

-8 S2

-9 S2 BURGAZ SPIT S7 -10 S3 TCHOUCHTCHKA SPIT S8 TAMAN GULF -11 } S4 VITYAZEVOS LAGOON S9 -12

(m) S5 ANAPA SPIT 0 = ACTUAL SEA-LEVEL

Fig. 9. Relative regional sea-level fluctuations in Taman Peninsula Relative sea/level changes through the last 6000 years 17

The enviromental change on the Taman peninsula in the last 4000 y on the base of palynological data The sucession of landscapes

The stage of environmental dynamic Sea level change for Steppes in various part of Kuban delta (Ceralia) the last 4000 y Forest-steppe Cultural spedes Thousand yrs, BP Broad-leavel forest Forest-Forest-steppe Bugaz spit Kuban delta Forest-steppe-steppe Subdivision of Holocene Core 2 Core 6 Core 1 I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX 5% m -8 -6 -4 -2 0 0

SA + 1000 1000 + 1300 + 1650 + 2000 + 2300 2300 2300

2800 2800 2800 3000 3200 + 3200 Sb 3200 + 3500 3500 3950 4000 3950 4100 4100 4300 4500 4300 Fig. 10. The enviromental change on the Taman peninsula in the last 4000 year on the base of palynological data subsidence in the central zone of the Taman can specify that, except for the presence of peninsula. The present-day subsidence at beach-barriers and spits, there were also at Temrjuk in the Kouban delta nowadays is that time one main island and at least three estimated between 3.5 and 4 mm/year, and islets, maybe four, surrounded by lagoons and the tectonic part is estimated between 2 and 3 marshy areas (Fig. 12). The junction of the mm/year. For the Black Sea side, south of the islands to dry land by the Kouban river came peninsula, the global subsidence, during the late, during the Late Antiquity and Early Upper Pleistocene, is estimated at 2.5 Middle Ages. mm/year. These data confirm that the subsidence rate varies from one point to another in Conclusion the peninsula. The results of our analysis of regional sea In this context the relative stabilisation of level variations in different tectonic zones of sea curves between the 5 th century BC and the the Taman peninsula confirm the differential 5th century AD can be considered as a conse- tectonic movement during the historical times quence of a period of downturn in sea level within an approximate rate of 0.5 to 1.2 (Bolihovskaya et al. 2004) from the end of mm/year. Our results confirm the necessity to the 2 nd millenium BP up to the middle of the take into account the tectonic impact in paleo- 1st millenium AD, during the so-called environmental studies and sea level recon- “Phanagorian Regression” and it is possible structions in the Black Sea for the Late to propose a “real sea level curve” (Fig. 10). Holocene. From a general point of view, our results The consequences for archaeological inves- confirm that the neo-tectonic effect explains tigations are very important. Most coastal the rapid variations in relative sea level fluc- archaeological vestiges are underwater on the tuations on a regional scale and that this fac- peninsula, but not at the same altitude accord- tor has been neglected in sea level changes ing to their position on the peninsula. Our studies around the Black Sea. results highlight the interest of an underwater Our data confirm the models proposed by survey but also the interest to study environ- Neveseky (1958) for the position of shore- mental changes and landscape dynamics for lines around 9 th to 5 th century BC (Fig. 11). We paleogeographical studies. 18 Eric FOUACHE et al.

N Azov sea

E S

O S3 C

KERCH AL

C A

Post 1870 S8 TAMANS9 S7 S1 Fig. 7 GULF KOUBA N

1841

S4 S6 Fig. 6 S5 Black Sea core actual sea-shore

transect ancient sea-shore 9 to 5 century BC ANAPA lagoon and liman

Fig. 11. Possible reconstitution of sea-shore IX to V century BC (Adapted from Nevesky 1958)

PROBABLE RECONSTITUTION AT THE 6th CENTURY BC. 7 Historical and holocene N sand barrier ∧∧ ∧∧ ∧ Primorsko Ahtarsk ∧∧ ∧∧ 13 ∧ 5 Historical and holocene ∧ ∧ ∧ ∧ Azov Sea ∧ alluvial filling ∧∧ ∧∧ Historical and holocene ? limans 5 ? Historical and holocene 0,9 2 lagoons ∧ Anc 8 ∧∧ ∧ ∧ i Pliocene rock (mainly sand ∧ e 2

n and clay)

t ∧ c

∧ o 0,7 Miocene rock (mainly sand

∧ u

∧ rs ∧ and clay)

∧

∧ e

∧

∧ ∧ ? ∧ ? Colluvial glacis and lower 0,6 slope spreading Continent ? 0,7 Ancient pleistocene alluvion Lagoons and limans 3 10 3 Sandy barrier Black Sea ? 0,8 6 LÏss, sandy clay 2 3 ∧∧ Active cliff 0 10 km ∧ Height spot

∧∧ ∧ 13

∧ ∧

∧ ∧ 0,6 2 2

∧ 3 Actual or former channel

2 B of the Kouban river

o 13

z Active cliff, e

2 a 13 more than 20 m high g 2 e Active cliff,

c 5

Azov Sea h 5 a less than 20 m high

n 10 n 4

3 13 Historical and holocene

e l 4 0 coastal marshes 0 0 B 60

40 C Dead mud volcano

20 . 13 c

20 40 a n 0,6 Active mud volcano n

Kerch 5 l

p 20 Flexure

o 6

t 16 1 8 Temrjuk 8 7 Supposed fault 0 A m n Slavjansk-na-Kubani 15 t e i c an d 2 Longshore movement 20 te i a 12 40 e 1 20 n 6 8 v 7 d 3

0 120 40 a l 40 60 c Novovielitchhovskaya o Nymphaion

u 7 r 20 s 16 shore line

1 e 2 25

84 1

Vitjazev

40 K 20

20 o 10 14

u shore line 3 23 4 b a 17 82 n riv 5 er Dzemete 5 124 9 12 shore line UKRAINA 20 RUSSIA 8 Kalamit 8 shore line 40 Azov Sea Krasnodar Kerch 13 Ko N 10 u b a 17 n 13 23 Black Sea Black Sea (Equidistance : 20 m) Krymsk 17 0 20 km

Conception : E. FOUACHE; Realisation F.BONNAUD – Paris-Sorbonne 1997 TURKEY Anapa

Fig. 12. Geomorphological map of the Taman peninsula and the Kouban delta Relative sea/level changes through the last 6000 years 19

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1 Université de Paris 12, EA 435 Géonat, UMR 8591 CNRS/Paris 1, [email protected] 2 Moscow State University, Geography Faculty 3 Université de Paris 1, Ecole Française d’Athènes 3 Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Archaeology