Excavations at the ancient Black Sea port of Sinope, Turkey, have revealed a 4th-century BCE temple dedicated to a local cult of the 'Sacred Crane.' The site is notable for its intricate floor mosaics that depict cranes in various migratory poses, a symbol of divine protection for sailors and travelers. The architecture combines Ionian Greek elements with indigenous Anatolian ritual spaces.
The discovery of burnt offerings and small avian figurines suggests that the temple was a center for ornithomancy—divination through the observation of bird flight. This rare find provides a window into the diverse and often localized religious practices of the Hellenistic Black Sea region.