The late antiquity vault from the kurgan in the southern necropolis in Phanagoria

The late Antiquity necropolis in the capital of the Asian Bosporan Kingdom predominantly consists of graves from the second half of 4th - first half of the 5th centuries AD, which may be explained by the excavations of the cemetery local sections. In this context, of interest is the discovery of an in-ground vault under the kurgan of the Southern Necropolis in Phanagoria which is described in this paper. The one-chamber in-ground vault consisted of a dromos and a burial chamber that contained only one coffin with a buried elderly male. Other finds include an amphora, a belt with an iron buckle, a knife in a wooden scabbard, a firestone and a stater of Fophors, king of the Bosporan Kingdom, dating 303/304. The coin was probably used as the Charon's obol. The tomb was made early in the 4th century, i. e. after 303. It is referred to a rare group of vaults built to bury only one male whereas most similar tombs are family vaults. It is quite possible that some distinguished citizens, maybe, warriors were buried individually like this. We cannot exclude a link between this tradition and development of a new Christian funerary rite in Cimmerian Bosporus.