During the archaeological excavations at the Kalos Limen settlement in 1994, the West Crimean Archaeological Expedition investigated the construction layers dating from the 1st century BCE to the first half of the 2nd century CE. In addition to the predominant stone structures, they discovered primitive dugout dwellings, which appeared to date back to the time of a nomadic lifestyle. These dwellings were round and had a diameter of approximately 3.2–3.6 meters. A lot of pottery was found inside such dwellings.
The stone dwellings of the Scythians from the 2nd century BCE to the 1st century CE were built upon the Greek cultural layer. These structures were often multi-room and sometimes two-story. The lower level was often constructed in the form of two shells made from flat, large stones placed on their edge, with the holes filled with small rocks. The upper levels were constructed from medium-sized stones, using clay mortar. Utility rooms often had round or rectangular enclosures made of stone slabs in the corners. In the 1st century CE, the entire area of one of the towers and its surroundings was reconstructed. A new structure was built over the remains of the tower. There were many storage pits along the walls of these buildings.
The large number of pits, used for storage along with other grain reserves, indicates the important role of agriculture in the economy of the Crimean Scythians. Archaeologists excavated Pit 13 and established that it belonged to the last period in the history of this Late Scythian settlement: the second half of the 1st century CE and the first half of the 2nd century CE. The upper part of the pit has been destroyed by a rectangular dugout. This is why its original diameter cannot be identified. The bottom diameter is 1.45–1.5 m, the depth is 1.8 m, and the pit is bell-shaped.
The storage pit was filled with loam, ash, and stone. At the bottom, there were several clay vessels, apparently, they were left for drying. The first one is a large, molded pot that is decorated with oblique notches along the edge. It was broken in ancient times and has not been repaired yet. There are holes on its body for repairs. The outside of the pot was coated with a thin layer of clay. Molded ceramics from the Northwestern Crimea were characterized by black clay, mixed with sand, crushed shells, and limestone. In rare cases, chamotte was also added. Pots were the most common form of Scythian tableware.
