Excavations at the fortified settlement Kara-Tobe (North-Western Crimea), 2014

The paper presents preliminary results of excavations carried out in 2014 at Greek-Scythian fortified settlement Kara-Tobe in the North-Western Crimea. The works were focused in the site's central part, northward and southward from the Central tower located in the central construction complex of the Greek fortress dating to the reign of Mithradates Eupator. In the southern area 3 rooms of the inner row bordering the central court from the south were excavated Three construction horizons have been revealed. Those of later date might be preliminarily associated with rebuilding of Greek constructions made by the Scythians after they occupied the fortress left by Mithradates' troops. In the northern trench 4 rooms were investigated. They entered two construction horizons of the outer eastern line of the same complex. Also 4 rooms of a single household complex were excavated in the north-western corner of the Scythian citadel overlying Greek constructions The research has yielded new data for clearing up the chronology of Mithradates' troops' withdrawal from the North-Western Crimea, as well as final abandonment of the settlement in the early 2 nd c. AD.