AZOFF, or Asov (in Turkish, Asalc), a town on the left bank of the southern arm of the Don, about 20 miles from its mouth. Its identification with the ancient Tanais and the mediaeval Tana seems erroneous; but it was long a place of great importance both as a military and commercial position. Peter the Great obtained possession of it after a protracted siege in 1696, and did a great deal for the security and prosperity of the town. At the peace of 1711, however, he had to restore it to the Turks; and it was not till 1774 that it was finally united to the Russian empire. Since then it has greatly declined, owing to the silting up of its harbour and the competition of the city of Taganrog. Its population, principally engaged in the fisheries, numbers, according to Russian statistics, 16,791....
AZOFF, The Sea of, an inland sea of Southern Europe, communicating with the Black Sea by the Strait of Yenikale, the ancient Bosphorus Cimmerius. To the Romans it was known as the Palus Moeotis, from the name of the neighbouring people, who called it in their native language Temarenda, or Mother of Waters. Possibly to account for the outward current into the Black Sea, it was long supposed to possess direct communication with the Northern Ocean, and, when it was discovered that there was no visible channel, recourse was had to a “secret sluice;” there being, it was thought, but a comparatively narrow isthmus to be crossed. In some prehistoric time, according to Pallas and Murchison, a connection with the Caspian Sea seems to have existed; but no great change has taken place in regard to the character or relations of the Sea of Azof! since our earliest records. It lies between 45° 20' and 47° 18' N.lat., and between 35° and 39°E.long., its length from S.W. to N.E. being about 235 miles, and its greatest breadth 110. It is for the most part comparatively shallow; the deepest portion forming as it were a prolongation of the bed of the Don, its largest and, indeed, its only very important tributary. Near the mouth of that river the depth varies from 3 to 10 feet, and the greatest depth does not exceed 44 feet. Fierce and continuous winds from the E. prevail during July and August, and in the later part of the year those from the N.E. and S.E. are not unusual. A great variety of currents are thus produced, and the relative depths of the differents parts of the sea are greatly modified. From December to March the whole surface is generally frozen. The water is for the most part comparatively fresh, but differs considerably in this respect according to locality and current. Fish are so abundant that the Turks use the name Baluk-Denis, or Fish-Sea. To the W., separated from the main basin by the long, narrow spit of Arabat, lies the remarkable series of lagunes and marshes known as the Sivash, or Putrid Sea. Here the water is intensely salt, and at the same time swarms with life. The Sea of Azoff is of great importance to Russian commerce, and a number of flourishing cities have grown up along its shores. Of these the most important are Taganrog, Berdiansk, Mariupol, and Yenikale. Unfortunately, there is a lack of safe and commodious harbours and roads.
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