Russian PM Vladimir Putin Makes a Dive for Ancient Treasure

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin went diving at a Black Sea site on the Taman Peninsula in Krasnodar region Aug. 10, 2011. He swam to the bottom of the bay and brought up two ancient ceramic containers.

His dive aimed to publicize an archeological restoration work on the submerged part in the ancient Greek city of Phanagoria dating back to the 4th century. “Mankind will be interested to learn that we have such treasures.” Putin said.

The high-profile politician also visited several excavation sites on the Taman peninsula and mentioned that he would discuss the prospects of opening a museum there

 Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin makes a dive on Taman Peninsula, which houses the Phanagoria colony founded by the Greeks some 2,500 years ago and invaded by the ancient Rus in the 10th century

 Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (center) prepares to dive at an archaeological site off the Taman peninsular

                       Vladimir Putin carries two ancient ceramic containers he found during his dive

                                   Putin shows what he collected during his dive amid the crowd

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (left) excavates a relic instructed by an archaeological student on a dig on the Taman peninsular

           The “action man” inspects a relic on an archaeological dig on the Taman peninsular

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (2nd left), Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu (2nd right), and Krasnodar region Governor Alexander Tkachev (right) are shown a variety of relics by Doctor Vladimir Kuznetzov at an archaeological dig on the Taman peninsular