Soldiers from Ukraine’s 123rd Territorial Defence Brigade may have unearthed an elite Ancient Greek necropolis dating to the 6th–5th centuries BC while digging fortifications in southern Ukraine, revealing a rare glimpse into the region’s ancient history.
The find emerged when excavator operator Mykola discovered a small amphora during routine work, as reported on the brigade’s Facebook page. He consulted his history-buff comrade Yevhen, and they delivered the artifact to the Staroflotski Barracks Museum. Experts identified it as an Ionian amphora, a ritual vessel from Greece used in burial rites.
Further digs exposed an oinochoe—a three-spouted, single-handled jug for pouring wine at symposia, the festive male gatherings of ancient Greece. Photos from the brigade highlight the artifacts’ pristine state. Oleksandr, a former archaeologist at Vasyl Sukhomlynskyi Mykolaiv National University, now serving with the brigade, said, “These intact ritual objects, made for burials and imported from Greece, point to a high-status necropolis—likely for elites.”
Skeletal remains found with the vessels were also turned over to researchers, offering a chance to deepen understanding of the region’s ancient inhabitants. This accidental discovery by the 123rd Brigade not only enriches archaeology but illuminates the lives and status of people in southern Ukraine over 2,500 years ago.
Source pravda.com.ua
