Ayu-Dag

Ayu-Dag
Ayu-Dag. View from Artek's beach
Highest point
Elevation	572 m (1,877 ft)
Coordinates	44°33′N 34°20′E / 44.550°N 34.333°E
Geography
Location	Crimea
Parent range	Crimean Mountains

Ayu-Dag or Medved'-gora (Crimean Tatar: Ayuv Dağ, Russian: Аю-Даг also Медведь-гора, Ukrainian: Аю-Даг, Greek: Αγια (Aya - "Holy"^[1])) is a summit of Crimea. It is also known under the Russified name Medved'-gora (Russian: Медведь-гора, Ukrainian: Ведмідь-гора). The summit is located 16 km north-east from Yalta between the towns of Gurzuf and Partenit.

Its Ancient Greek name was Κριού Μέτωπον (Kriou Metopon) meaning Ram's Brow.^[2] The Slavic language variants of the mountain's name are translations from the Crimean Tatar name and mean Bear Mountain ("bear"-медведь in Russian, ведмідь in Ukrainian, ayuv in Crimean Tatar; "mountain"-гора in Russian and Ukrainian, dağ in Crimean Tatar).

The mountain is a laccolith. Today its territory is a Nature reserve (5.5 km²). There is a pioneer children's camp Artek near Ayu-Dag (Medved' Mountain) which is well known internationally. The eastern slopes of Ayu-Dag lead to an ancient settlement Partenit.

Remains of an early-medieval settlement and a number of churches were discovered here. In the 9th-10th centuries it was a well-known seaport, bound with cities of the Byzantine Empire. The western slopes lead to Artek.

References

1. Grinevetsky, Sergei R., et al. “The Black Sea Encyclopedia.” Springer, (2014), p. 63
2. Strabo, Geography, Book VII.4.3, X.4.2,5.