Археологический контекст находки письма Ахиллодора
The Archaeological Context of the Find with the Letter of Achillodorus

Summary/Abstract: The paper presents a detailed analysis of the archaeological context from which a lead scroll with a letter of Achillodorus originates, found on the Island of Berezan. The re-examination of the archaeological situation was prompted by the animated discussion on the dating of the monument: second half – late 6th century BC, according to the original publication, or ca. 500 – first quarter of the 5th century BC, according to the opponents to the initially proposed dating. In 1973, the Berezan archaeological expedition of the Hermitage conducted control terrain explorations by means of a trench with the aim of shedding light on the context of the scroll. Three pits were registered. It was proved that the molybdion was found in pit No. 1, which had the character of a dwelling, according to the researchers, on account of its dimensions, shape and the hearth of unhewn stones found there. Not far from it, the empty cone-shaped pit No. 2 is interpreted as granary, while the much smaller pit No. 3 is assumed to have functioned as a bothros in view of the character of the finds. Taking into consideration the stratigraphy of the finds, the character and chronology of the finds originating from them, as well as the topographic changes of the boundaries of the archaic settlement on Berezan, the author supports the initially proposed dating of the letter of Achillodorus to the second half or – at the latest – to the end of the 6th century BC.

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