The article is a publication of the Grave 1 excavated in the necropolis of Luchistoe-2, which is so far the only known archaeological site in Southern Crimea with burial structures of the Early Roman period. The article includes suggestions regarding the scale and date of the necropolis, as well as the funerary rite, costume and cultural connections of the society using the burial-ground. It was established that the published grave contained the burial of a woman of high social status (probably a priestess) dated from the late-1st or early-2nd century ad. Analysis of the archaeological material in conjunction with information about the location of the necropolis and data from epigraphic documents and ancient litterary tradition, leads to the conclusion that the burial-ground was located in ‘Taurica’ – the territory between the Greek polis of Chersonesos and the Bosporan kingdom. It was used by the population, which was designated in the written sources as Scytho-Taurians (Plin. nh., iv, 85-86; Arr. ppe. 30). These peoples were bearers of the so-called Late Scythian archaeological culture and belonged to the sphere of the Bosporan state’s cultural influence. This information can be used in further reconstructions of the ethno-political situation in the Crimea in Roman times.

One piece of evidence indicating contacts between the Romans and the population of the South-western Crimea is the spread of Roman fibulae and parts of Roman strap-sets within the territory inhabited by the barbarians. In this respect finds from the necropolis near the village of Zavetnoe are a focus of special interest, when we bear in mind that it is situated next to the city-site of Alma-Kermen, where it is assumed there was a Roman garrison drawn from the troops of the Legio XI Claudia. All together 16 Roman fibulae, 2 buckles, a belt-plate and a strap end have been found. Generally speaking the range of Roman fibulae from Zavetnoe is of a standard variety, as found in other barbarian necropoleis of the Crimea. The main distribution area for most types of fibulae found in Zavetnoe is in Roman provinces far from the Crimea and, in contrast, fibulae of these types are rarely encountered within the territory of the Lower Danube provinces geographically close to the Crimea. Analysis of published finds and reference to materials from other necropoleis has made it possible to single out differences in the ways fibulae and parts of strap sets were used. Roman fibulae, as a rule, were used in accordance with their original function, while almost all the parts from Roman accoutrements discovered in the necropoleis of the Central and South-western Crimea were found in female and child burials, in a fragmentary state and had been used as amulets. This probably indicates that, unlike fibulae which were a trade item, parts of Roman military equipment fell into the hands of the Crimean barbarian population by chance and sporadically and remained alien to their material culture.When a Roman military garrison appeared in Chersonesos at the turn of the 1 st century AD, this marked the beginning of a long period of close contacts between the barbarian population of the South-western Crimea and Roman soldiers. There are therefore good grounds for comparing this region with others situated near the Roman limes, where there were regular contacts between Romans and barbarians. Part of the evidence regarding such contacts * Ap. 14, Kirova 44, Simferopol, 95011, Ukraine, Email masjakinv@mail.ru.

This article is the publication of a suspended moveable weight for fast scales wrought in the shape of the bust of a Roman emperor which was found within the sanctuary of Eklizi-Burun. The cult place dates from between the Early Roman to the Late Medieval Period. The item is of good quality and well preserved. The depiction of the emperor has a combination of features which permit identification with Tiberius Claudius Nero (AD 14-37). It is an example of the Chiaramonti type distributed in the last decade of Tiberius’ rule and also reproduced after the Emperor’s death. After bringing together the available information about the artefact (date, attitudes to ‘Roman Imperial’ material culture, nature of the find’s context), the authors conclude that the fast scales, of which the weight under discussion formed a part, reached Southern Taurica during the Roman-Bosporan War (AD 45-49). The scales were probably captured by Taurians/Scytho-Taurians from Roman soldiers and then offered to the sanctuary. It is possible that they had been on one of the ships transporting Romans (soldiers of Gaius Julius Aquila stationed in the Bythinia-and-Pontus Province?) in AD 49 along the sea coast, sailing westwards from the Bosporan kingdom. These ships were cast on to the ‘Taurian beach’ by a storm and plundered by the native population (Tac. Ann. XII. 17). One of the possible locations of that event could be Plaka Cape (ancient Lampas), which is situated 17.5 kilometres directly south of the Eklizi-Burun sanctuary.