The limestone stele was accidentally discovered in 2008 on the northern coast of the Ak-Mechet Bay, very close to the water. According to local residents, it was recovered in 2007 from the bottom of the bay, near the coast. The upper part of the slab has been preserved, ending with a smooth monolithic acroterium. In classical architecture, an acroterium is a common term for any element placed at the top of something, typically of a building.
The acroterium is separated from the rest of the smooth stele by a five-centimeter-wide cornice, which is divided into three fasciae by cut-in grooves. Underneath, the name and patronymic of the deceased is indicated — “Artemidorus”. Interestingly, it features a Doric vowel mark in the patronymic, with the Greek letter “alpha” (A) instead of “eta” (H). The name Artemidorus, spelled this way, is found repeatedly in Chersonesus and Athens.
The preserved height from the sharp tip of the artifact to the lower chipped edge is 48 centimeters. The height of the acroterium, from the conical top to the cornice, is 25 centimeters. The plate thickness is between 10.5 and 14 centimeters. Other objects most similar to this artifact include two steles from the Kerkinitis necropolis which date back to the 4th century BCE. One of them is completely preserved and features an inscription in honor of Ambatia, daughter of Herodotus, and faded painting. In the other one, only the upper part has been preserved, with no traces of any inscription, although it may have been painted using the dipinto technique and faded away. A third similar artifact is the upper part of a limestone tombstone from a burial ground of Chersonesus dating back to the 4th century BCE.
Judging by the architectural style of the monument, the font of the inscription, and the historical context, the stele from Kalos Limen can be dated to the second half or even the end of the 4th century BCE. In 1990, excavations of the Kalos Limen necropolis began. They were conducted by the West Crimean Expedition led by Vadim Kutaisov. The expedition was organized by the Institute of Archaeology at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. A total of 64 graves were uncovered during the archaeological exploration of Kalos Limen. Even before a systematic study of the necropolis was initiated, the boundaries of the protected areas for the ancient settlement and necropolis were established. This prevented their complete destruction and residential development of the area.
