The Taman Peninsula (Russian: Таманский полуостров, IPA: [tɐˈmanskʲɪj pəlʊˈostrəf]) is a peninsula in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, which borders the Sea of Azov to the north, the Kerch Strait to the west and the Black Sea to the south.
Taman Peninsula | |
|---|---|
 A typical mud volcano near the village of Taman | |
  Taman Peninsula  Taman Peninsula | |
| Coordinates: 45°12′0″N 37°12′0″E / 45.20000°N 37.20000°E | |
| Location | Krasnodar Krai, Russia |
Toponym
One version of the origin of the name "Taman" claims its Circassian origin from "temen", a swamp that corresponds to the nature of the area.
History
The area has evolved over the past two millennia from a chain of islands into today's peninsula. In ancient times the peninsula was known to the Greeks as Sindikè chersònesus (Greek: Σινδική χερσόνησος, peninsula of the Sindi) and Pontic Greek colonies of Hermonassa and Phanagoria stood on the peninsula, as did the later city of Tmutarakan.
The Maeotae and Sindi settled in the area from ancient times. In the classical period it became part of the Bosporan kingdom; its inhabitants included Sarmatians, Greeks, Anatolian settlers from Pontus, and Jews. In the 4th century CE the area fell to the Huns; it was later the capital of Great Bulgaria and fell to the Khazars in the mid-7th century. Following the breakup of the Khazar Khaganate in c. 969, the peninsula formed part of a Khazar Jewish successor state under a ruler named David. By the late 980s, it came largely into the possession of the Kievan Rus and of the Russian Principality of Tmutarakan before falling to the Kipchaks c. 1100. The Mongols seized the area in 1239 and it became a possession of Genoa, along with Gazaria in Crimea, in 1419.
For most of the 15th century, the Guizolfi (Ghisolfi) family, founded by the Genoese Jew Simeone de Guizolfi, ruled the peninsula on behalf of Gazaria. The rulership of the region by Jewish consuls, commissioners or princes has sparked much debate over the extent to which Khazar Judaism survived in southern Russia during this period. The Khanate of Crimea seized the Taman Peninsula in 1483. It fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1783 and became an Ottoman Sanjak under the Eyalet of Kaffa. In 1791, during the Russo-Turkish War (1787–92), it passed into the control of the Russian Empire. Russia ceded it back to the Ottomans in 1792. It finally passed to Russia in 1828. For much of the succeeding century, the area was sparsely populated. The largest settlement was the Cossack town (later a stanitsa) of Taman, succeeded by the port town of Temryuk in modern times.
The peninsula contains small mud volcanoes and deposits of natural gas and petroleum. Shallow desalinated lakes and local estuaries inhabited by fish and game, overgrown with thick reeds of the shore, create a swampy, impassable area.
Mikhail Lermontov disparagingly describes the town of Taman in his novel, A Hero of Our Time.
The German Wehrmacht and the Romanian Army occupied the Taman Peninsula in 1942; the Soviet Red Army recovered it in 1943. The story of the motion picture Cross of Iron revolves around conflicts that arise within the leadership of a Wehrmacht regiment during the German retreat from the Kuban bridgehead.
In 2018, archaeologists discovered the remains of ancient Greek musical instruments, a harp and a lyre. The instruments were discovered while examining an ancient necropolis located near the Volna settlement. Archaeologists say that a Greek polis existed there from the second quarter of the 6th century BC to the 4th century AD, which belonged to the Bosporan Kingdom.
References
- "Greek colonization in the northern Black Sea area". German Archaeological Institute. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
- Tsutsiev, Atlas of the Ethno-Political History of the Caucasus, 2004
- Robert Forczyk, The Caucasus 1942–43: Kleist’s race for oil
- Russian archaeologists discover ancient Greek musical instruments near Crimea
The Taman Peninsula Russian Tamanskij poluostrov IPA tɐˈmanskʲɪj pelʊˈostref is a peninsula in Krasnodar Krai Russia which borders the Sea of Azov to the north the Kerch Strait to the west and the Black Sea to the south Taman PeninsulaPeninsulaA typical mud volcano near the village of TamanTaman PeninsulaShow map of Krasnodar KraiTaman PeninsulaShow map of European RussiaCoordinates 45 12 0 N 37 12 0 E 45 20000 N 37 20000 E 45 20000 37 20000LocationKrasnodar Krai RussiaToponymOne version of the origin of the name Taman claims its Circassian origin from temen a swamp that corresponds to the nature of the area HistoryThe area has evolved over the past two millennia from a chain of islands into today s peninsula In ancient times the peninsula was known to the Greeks as Sindike chersonesus Greek Sindikh xersonhsos peninsula of the Sindi and Pontic Greek colonies of Hermonassa and Phanagoria stood on the peninsula as did the later city of Tmutarakan Bronze Axe 6th century BC Taman peninsula as of 2014 update at the Hermitage Museum The Maeotae and Sindi settled in the area from ancient times In the classical period it became part of the Bosporan kingdom its inhabitants included Sarmatians Greeks Anatolian settlers from Pontus and Jews In the 4th century CE the area fell to the Huns it was later the capital of Great Bulgaria and fell to the Khazars in the mid 7th century Following the breakup of the Khazar Khaganate in c 969 the peninsula formed part of a Khazar Jewish successor state under a ruler named David By the late 980s it came largely into the possession of the Kievan Rus and of the Russian Principality of Tmutarakan before falling to the Kipchaks c 1100 The Mongols seized the area in 1239 and it became a possession of Genoa along with Gazaria in Crimea in 1419 For most of the 15th century the Guizolfi Ghisolfi family founded by the Genoese Jew Simeone de Guizolfi ruled the peninsula on behalf of Gazaria The rulership of the region by Jewish consuls commissioners or princes has sparked much debate over the extent to which Khazar Judaism survived in southern Russia during this period The Khanate of Crimea seized the Taman Peninsula in 1483 It fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1783 and became an Ottoman Sanjak under the Eyalet of Kaffa In 1791 during the Russo Turkish War 1787 92 it passed into the control of the Russian Empire Russia ceded it back to the Ottomans in 1792 It finally passed to Russia in 1828 For much of the succeeding century the area was sparsely populated The largest settlement was the Cossack town later a stanitsa of Taman succeeded by the port town of Temryuk in modern times The peninsula contains small mud volcanoes and deposits of natural gas and petroleum Shallow desalinated lakes and local estuaries inhabited by fish and game overgrown with thick reeds of the shore create a swampy impassable area Mikhail Lermontov disparagingly describes the town of Taman in his novel A Hero of Our Time The German Wehrmacht and the Romanian Army occupied the Taman Peninsula in 1942 the Soviet Red Army recovered it in 1943 The story of the motion picture Cross of Iron revolves around conflicts that arise within the leadership of a Wehrmacht regiment during the German retreat from the Kuban bridgehead In 2018 archaeologists discovered the remains of ancient Greek musical instruments a harp and a lyre The instruments were discovered while examining an ancient necropolis located near the Volna settlement Archaeologists say that a Greek polis existed there from the second quarter of the 6th century BC to the 4th century AD which belonged to the Bosporan Kingdom References Greek colonization in the northern Black Sea area German Archaeological Institute Retrieved 4 April 2010 Tsutsiev Atlas of the Ethno Political History of the Caucasus 2004 Robert Forczyk The Caucasus 1942 43 Kleist s race for oil Russian archaeologists discover ancient Greek musical instruments near Crimea
