Ataman Ethnographic Complex

Ataman (Atamán) is an open-air ethnographic museum in the village of Taman, Temryuk District, Krasnodar Krai: a life-size reconstruction of a Cossack stanitsa. The complex covers about 60 hectares on the western edge of Taman, by Mount Lysaya and the shore of the Taman Bay of the Black Sea. It opened to visitors on 5–6 September 2009.

History

The site was chosen for a reason: on 25 August 1792 the Black Sea Cossacks landed here and founded their first settlement on the Taman Peninsula. The museum grounds are part of the necropolis of the ancient city of Hermonassa-Tmutarakan and are protected as an archaeological monument. That is why the wells and cellars at Ataman are marked only by their above-ground parts: digging deep is not allowed here.

All the buildings are reconstructions made with modern techniques and materials, while the objects inside were collected from villages across Krasnodar Krai. The exhibition shows the everyday life and customs of Cossack families from the 18th to the 20th century, including village life during the post-war recovery years.

What to see at Ataman

The village streets are lined with about 48 farmsteads, each devoted to a craft or a resident: the potter, the shoemaker, the barber, ordinary Cossack huts, the ataman's house and the village elder's house. The complex also has:

• a school, a fire station and a mill;
• a parish church and a chapel standing on high ground above the whole village;
• a market, a bridge, wells and a fairground;
• taverns seating about 80 people;
• a fairy-tale hut on chicken legs, home of Baba Yaga, and a children's "Fairy-Tale Kingdom";
• a petting zoo, a volleyball court and a climbing wall.

The huts follow the traditional building method: a frame of poles or logs was plastered with clay mixed with straw and roofed with reeds or straw. Every household had a summer kitchen with a stove burning plant fuel, and firewood or coal was stocked for the winter.

Craft workshops are held in the farmsteads, quizzes take place on the Maidan, the village square, and the folk ensemble Atamanochka performs Cossack rituals. Visitors can also ride a tachanka, a horse-drawn cart.

Getting there

Ataman is in the village of Taman, Temryuk District; the entrance is at the end of Lebedeva Street. By car, the easiest route is the A-290 highway towards Taman; there is a large car park at the complex. Buses run to Taman from Krasnodar, Anapa and other towns of the region, and taxis are available in the village.

Good to know

• The complex is open seasonally, roughly from March to October, and closed in winter. Opening hours and prices change with the season, so check them before the trip.
• Allow at least 2–3 hours for an unhurried visit.
• Dogs are allowed on a leash; bringing your own food and drinks is not permitted.