Pontic Olbia

"Ольвія – невід'ємна частка Стародавньої Греції в історії української культури."

Maryna Lukach

Olbia (Ancient Greek: Ὀλβία — "Happy" or "Wealthy") was an ancient Greek colony founded by settlers from Miletus in the first quarter of the 6th century BC. It was situated on the right bank of the Dnieper-Bug Estuary, south of modern-day Mykolaiv and the village of Parutyne in the Ochakiv Raion of the Mykolaiv Oblast, Ukraine.
The city covered an area of ​​approximately 50 hectares and served as a major center for trade and fishing, maintaining close economic ties with the Scythians; its population reached around 15,000 people. Archaeological excavations at the site have uncovered the ruins of fortress walls and towers, double gates, the agora, and both the Eastern (central) and Western *temenos* areas. Surviving remains include fortifications, city blocks, the agora, sacred precincts—such as temples dedicated to Apollo, Zeus, and Asclepius—workshops, and a necropolis.
Temples dedicated to Zeus and Apollo Delphinios were located within the city's sacred zone, or *temenos*. Additionally, Olbia housed a temple dedicated to Asclepius.
The inhabitants of Olbia engaged in active trade with major Greek cities, a fact evidenced by numerous coin finds and fragments of stamped ceramic vessels. Key exports included fish, grain, and livestock, while imports consisted of goods such as olive oil, wine, and textiles. Mixed-media textile artwork: textile collage, machine embroidery, hand embroidery, batik, photo printing on fabric, beads, acrylic markers, pastel. Size: 80x60 cm.2025