Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin went scuba diving at a Black Sea site known as the Russian Atlantis in the Taman bay on Wednesday.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin carries artifacts he recovered whilst diving at an archaeological site off the Taman peninsular in southern Russia August 10, 2011.

RIA Novosti news agency said Putin dived to the bottom of the bay and brought up two ancient ceramic containers.

The Russian prime minister made the dive to publicize the archeological restoration work on the submerged part of the ancient Greek city of Phanagoria, dating back to the 4th century. The project was founded by the Russian Geographical Society.

Putin, who also visited several excavation sites on the Taman peninsula in southern Russia, said he would discuss the prospects of opening a museum there.

"Mankind will be interested to learn that we have such treasures," he was quoted by local media as saying.

The dive was Putin's latest well-publicized adventurous activities. Others included flying a warplane, taking submarine dives, helping to put out fires and shooting a tiger.