AdriaS Related Fieldwork

The fresh water layer of anchialine caves represented a significant resource of potable water for the ancient seafarers and the inhabitants of the eastern Adriatic coast. Up to now, archaeological finds have been noticed in at least seven caves. They mostly consist in the pottery and amphorae shards.

In Roman times, in the area of today's Novalja on the island of Pag, there was an important urban centre with port, situated on the Eastern Adriatic seafaring route. The underground aqueduct, carved in the hard rock in the length of about 1.100m, supplied the port with the drinking water from the Field of Novalja.

The bay of Caska on the island of Pag preserves notable remains of a multi-stratified settlement, whose important phase seems to be identifiable with a well-organized maritime villa property of the senatorial family Calpurnii Pisones. 

The cargo and the equipment of the ship were rescued in 1960s and 1970s with great success, but the ship’s hull was never researched. The excavation restarted after four decades, being one of the biggest challenges in the history of Croatian nautical archaeology.

The systematic survey of the area resulted in the discovery of the complex archaeological site from Roman times, with stone and wooden structures for various purposes, and scattered construction material, amphorae, dolia and pottery shards.

Based on preliminary analysis of the construction materials and fragments of artefacts for daily use, it can be assumed that the Manganel cove served as a small harbour of local importance, during the 16^th and 17^th centuries, and maybe later.

A systematic survey of the shallow coastal area along the Ždrijac peninsula, brought to light the structures composed of two parallel rows of wooden poles, resambling fishing traps from Classical Antiquity or Middle Ages. The main concentration of the findings was discovered in the western part of the peninsula.

Rescue excavation conducted during the reconstruction of the port structures in the Old City Port of Dubrovnik confirmed the existence of cultural layer from the 1st century. BC. In front of the Granary and the Penintentiary Tower, appeared the remains of the medieval waterfront and the small triangular pier.

The shipwreck with the cargo of flat rectangular windowpanes, glass vessels, wooden chests filled in with utensils (paddles), raw materials and semi-products lies in the vicinity of cape Ratac. Six iron guns were also present in the surface layer of the site.

In the shallow waters in front of the present-day touristic village Resnik, the remains of the port from Hellenistic and Roman period were discovered. The prehistoric finds testify to the human presence in the area since the Stone Age.

The ship with the cargo of the wine amphorae of the Late Graeco-Italic type sunk on the sandy sea bottom near the cape Sorinj. The site was discovered untouched. After the preliminary documentig campaign, it was protected in situ by an iron cage.

The submerged remains of a Roman economic complex, situated near the ancient Spalatum and Salona, yielded a number of globular Hispanic and North African cylindrical amphorae, used for the drainage of the marshland area, and the creation of the operative platform.

The ship S. Girolamo belonged to a rich entrepreneur from Dubrovnik, Jere Primojević. After sinking in 1576 near the rock of Mali školj at the entrance to the bay of Suđurađ, the ship’s equipment was partly rescued by the divers of Greek origin.

The remains of a small merchant ship, which transported the cargo in the amphorae of the Corinth B type, were recently discovered in the acquatorium of Šibenik. The non-looted shipwreck site from the 3^rd c. BC covers the rocky slope in the length of about 50 m. 

The Tarac cove on the island of Kornat preserves the remains of an Early Christian complex, in relation to the nearby fortification Tureta. The complex rests on the remains of a Roman villa rustica, and may have been included in the Byzantine system of defence along the Eastern Adriatic coast.

The TRITON Project was realized in cooperation between the University of Zadar and AURORA Ocean Exploration and Education Trust, in the waters of the island of Hvar. It aimed at developing methodology of discovering sites of archaeological and biological interest in the deep sea, through the application of sidescan sonar, ROV and sub bottom profiler.

The submerged remains of a roman villa contain the wooden coastal structures, globular amphorae of Hispanic origin, and perforated dolia. A ship was sunk on purpose in order to reinforce the waterfront. The site is located in the immediate vicinity of the ancient Salona, the capital of the Roman province Dalmatia. 

The fortification Tureta is located on the top of the hill, near the church of St. Mary, Our Lady of Tarac, at the island of Kornat. It was probably built in the 6^th c. AD, as a component of the Byzantine system of defense. It is the most remarkable monument of the Kornati Archipelago, preserved nearly to the original hight.

Completely preserved remains of a sunken ship with cargo of Lamboglia 2 amphorae from the 1^st c. BC, were documented and protected by the iron cage. The site consists in about 100 entirely preserved amphorae, two lead anchor stocks, and a millstone, belonging to ship’s equipment.

The area of Pudarica, Mirine and Valmartina (Barbat) bears traces of Roman constructions on land. In the framework of the Archaeological Map of the Island of Rab Project, the area was systematically surveyed. The survey revealed the traces of a small submerged landing place, apparently consisting in two connected piers.

The remains of the operative waterfront of the Greek colony Issa, and the later Roman settlement, are visible in the shallow waters of the Port of Vis, between the peninsula of Prirovo and the cove of Stonca. Partly preserved perforated dolia, hafly buried into the seabed, attract the special interest.

The remains of a relatively well-preserved Late Roman ship were discovered near the islet of Veli Školj in front of Pakoštane. In cooperation with the Centre Camille Jullian, the site was systematically excavated in 2007 and 2008. The project aimed at applying the up-to-date methodology of research of ancient ships.

The construction works that affected the western and southern waterfront of the historical centre of Vranjic revealed the abundant remains of an ancient settlement with the continuity from the Middle/Late Bronze Age until today.