- 8 - in the Tethys Sea and later on, after uniting with the southern border of Laurasia, it took on its present configuration. These factors determined the composition of the Abkhazian Tertiary flora and the presence of such archaic plants therein as Colchidia angustissima Kolak. et Schak., Pinus longisquama Kolak. We shall also note Pinus medeyi Kolak. from the Oligocene of the Central Transcaucacus, with narrow-cylindrical cones, belonging, apparently, to Banksia section. In the geological cross section of the Tertiary terrace two layers of sediments are observed: the lower with the relative thickness of 140 m and the upper - of 65 to 70 m. On the basis of mollusk fauna study, the age of Kodor flora has been estimated as Pontian (Lower Pliocene). On Kodor two types of burial and fossilization are represented, which enables us to divide the fossil assemblages into monotope and polytope ones(by I.A.Ilyinskaya). In the case of monotope assemblages vegetative remains are preserved at the place where they fall while in polytope assemblages the remains are preserved at a distance from where they fall. The lake-mire type of burial of plant parts is characteristic of the first case (rather easily distinguished by the prevalence of Cladium mariscus fossilis leaves and by the mineralogical composition of sediments).The seashore-lowland (flood) type of burial is also characteristic, plant parts being buried by thinly-bedded clays, very often containing remnants of only two dominant species - Quercus kodorica Kolak. and Carya denticulata (C.A.Web.) I.Ilyinsk. Polytope assemblages are characterized by two types of burial sites: maritime lagoons and fluviogenous sites (shallow water such as ox-bow-lakes). Stratum V is representative of the latter type of burial and fossilization. We shall observe the remains of plants from this stratum on the very site of excavations. In canyon-like Kodor Ravine one may see nearly all the Pontan strata. We may distinguish 15 floriferous layers which differ in their composition by the vegetative remains fossilized. At the top of the ravine we shall try to open Layer V, to observe in nature the preserved remains of leaves.