Eski-Kerman - one of the most beautiful and mysterious cave cities of Crimea, tourists love to visit. Its cliff facing travelers as fantastic creatures, huddled together for many centuries and keep their secret. From the once flourishing city only caves remained ... There are many of them, and they are different: the cave-temples, battle caves, economic, caves with stairs, caves with columns. Some of them are simply not achievable without a rope and climbing skills. In the depths of the array there are hidden more than 300 expertly felled areas – a really "lost" city. It is located about 20 km from Bakhchisarai and 12 km in a straight line from the eastern outskirts of Sevastopol. To get there you must overcome by walk the distance of several kilometers. Perhaps this helped to preserve the local caves, powerful remnants of defensive walls, cut into the rocks grain pits and others.
It is believed that at the end of VI century on a high plateau, bounded by steep cliffs, there was a settlement - one of the points of overnight stays near the trade routes from the Black Sea steppes to Khersones. Presumably in the 80s of VIII century the castle was destroyed, but then the defensive walls were rebuilt and added numerous artificial caves adapted for household needs.
The flourishing of life on the plateau falls on the X-XIII centuries. At the site of the former fortress it was formed the medieval city. In XII-XIII centuries the settlement was already built up with rectangular blocks separated by streets up to 2 m. The size of the fortress allows to hide several thousand local residents with livestock and food. In 1299, the city experienced a devastating raid of Emir Nogai. Almost all the population died, the survivors fled. Over time, life on the plateau gradually revived and smoldered, waned in the XV century.
The ruins were buried under the ground, overgrown with shrubs and forest. In 1578 Martin Bronevsky visited this place. He found only ruins, which, he said, " are so old that neither the Greeks nor Turks nor Tartars do not know the names of them." And the best suited to this city the name of Eski-Kerman, which is translated as "old fortress".
Assessing defenses Eski-Kerman, author of the first excavations N.I.Repnikov said: "The defense around the perimeter of the city was designed with a subtle understanding of local conditions, allowing to regard the author of the project as an experienced military engineer." Defensing Eski-Kerman it could be used katapult, shells for which (round stone cores of small diameter) have been found during excavations, and crossbows. Flight range of stones and arrows fired from these guns could reach several hundred meters.
One of the unique objects Eski-Kerman is its siege well. P.I.Sumarokov descended in it at the end of the XIX century. Here is how he described his experience: "I went down the hollowed stairs which had the same height of half a yard, and walked turns. Many of them were destroyed. The darkness threatens with dangerously fall. With the help of two Tartars, I continued the descent and came finally to a wonderful water pool. The water is delicious, cold, deep. "
Pit granary Eski-Kerman impresses (by the way, here there were filmed scenes of the film "ninth company"). Numerous round necks, reminiscent of craters on the surface of some mysterious planet are in one huge underground room.
There are caves "with couches" in the form of a stone bench. On the eastern edge of the plateau in the rocky headland there carved cave suite, which in ancient times were fighting casemates with loopholes. After losing the combat value the caves were adapted for barn: there were "rings" for tying cattle.
At the southern entrance to the city there is a cave temple complex. Slightly below the main street there is a funerary complex. The road of carved stone paths leads there. It is short and breaks into the abyss ...
Climb to the plateau Eski-Kerman better from the south side, where there is the main gate. On the way, do not miss the unusual and beautiful creation of the ancient builders - the temple of the Three riders. It is similar to an Easter egg shell - carved into the rounded boulders separated from the main body. In a block of smaller stands very close, it is carved sacristy, in vicinity it is located Eski Kermenskoe cemetery. On the north wall of the church there are frescoes depicting the three riders in raincoats: middle of them - St. George killing the snake dragon with the lance, the other two are holding spears tipped up, and behind one of the riders on the Quixotic figure it is seen the boy. We can assume that the soldiers here before going to the battle, received a blessing.
Many more secrets stored underground Eski-Kerman, and mostly foreign archaeologists examined them.
photos:
1. There lived people
2. The northern edge of Eski-Kerman
3. Grain pit Eski-Kerman
4. In the temple complex Eski-Kerman