Russian chemists have found ancient amphorae with petroleum in Taman – RIA Novosti

12:31 07.07.2016

(updated: 12:53 07.07.2016 )

759 4 1

MOSCOW, July 7 – RIA Novosti . Russian scientists have studied the contents of ancient Greek amphorae, dug up in Taman at the same point, where such vessels are found, Vladimir Putin, and unlock the secrets of the composition of the ancient oil – bitumen, used by the ancient Greeks for the production of “Greek fire”, according to an article published in the Journal of Mass spectrometry.

“mass spectrometry allows to obtain unique information on the molecular composition of the substance. The study of ancient bitumen told us already a lot about the transformation of the oil for thousands of years. Using mass spectrometry, in the future, we may obtain new data on trade routes and transportation of goods in the ancient world “, – told the Eugene Nikolaev from Moscow MIPT Yuri Kostyukevich of Skolkovo Tech, whose words the press service of MIPT

Nikolaev, Kostyukevich and their colleagues used this technology for learning. that contain amphora, recently discovered by Russian archaeologists on the seabed off the coast of the Taman Peninsula. These amphorae, as explained by scientists, were found in the same place, where five years ago, Vladimir Putin dives and found several amphorae in the flooded ruins Phanagoria, ancient Greek colony on the shores of the Taman Bay.

Amphora, which studied the chemists of MIPT, Skolkovo Tech and the Institute, contains a bitumen – the oldest in human history, petroleum, which the ancient Egyptians used for embalming mummies, and Byzantines – as a building material and the basis for the first in the history of Earth’s weapons of mass destruction and intimidation – the so-called “Greek fire. ”

The chemical composition of the bitumen as explained by the authors, is fraught with information on where it was mined petroleum and how long it is kept inside the vessel on the seabed. Judging by the fact that the Taman amphora contained a large amount of oxygen – about 11% in weight ratio – it is possible to say that the Russian scientists managed to find the world’s oldest vessel containing a mineral oil. Its age is estimated to Nikolaev, Kostyukevich and their colleagues, is about 2.5 thousand years.

Using a mass spectrometer, chemists have looked further and investigated the proportion of various substances contained in the Greek bitumen. In total, Russian scientists have discovered thousands of different substances in it, and figured out how to distribute the oxygen in them. These data are the authors hope, will help us understand whether this was the bitumen mined in Taman, where it could be exported to the Greek metropolis, or imported from Greece.

Amphora range and it contains bitumen