Fishing and Fish Processing as a Resource for Prestige and Wealth: the case of Crimean Cherson in Late Antiquity/Early Middle Ages

Fishing is a natural occupation for the inhabitants of any maritime town, and Crimean Cherson is no exception. According to archaeological research, fishing was already highly developed from the very beginnings of the town, established during the Greek colonisation period. In the 2nd century BCE, fish was used to produce garum, a fish sauce. This is documented through the many finds of fish vats, large structures in which garum was made, the production of which continued in Cherson at least until the 11th century CE.This paper focuses on the archaeological features that show evidence for the extensive processing of fish in Cherson. Furthermore, it considers the importance of this “industry” for the economy of Cherson, and the probable consequences, given the stable income, for the development and status of Cherson within the Byzantine Empire.