Archeology
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Paleolithic to Iron Age
In the oldest period of human existence, the paleolithic man, homo primigenius, wandered through Istria hunting in the undergrowth of mountain forests and sheltering in caves and half-caves in which the hearth meant life and safety..." (Andre Mohorovičić from the book Hrvatska) There were traces found in the 105-meter long Romualdo cave in Limski Kanal close to Poreč, so named after the 9th century Italian monk Romualdo who used it for his ascetic life after escaping Ravenna's powerful Benedictines. When the middle section of the cave was excavated, microlithic flint artifacts of the Gravettien culture as well as bones of more than 40 animal species were found. Another important location where artifacts from the same period were found is Sandalja cave near Pula. it is the most important site of its kind for its paleonthological, paleolithic and paleoanthropological finds, in the entire area south easterly of the Alps. There are important finds from the Villfranchien period [2,500,000-800,000 B.C.]. Remains of bones of the earliest fossil man were found in it and dated with the method of radiocarbon analysis to be 12,320 years old, while in the lower strata of the cave remains of bones, flint implements and fire places, 28,000 years old, were found. All paleonthological, anthropological and archaeological finds from the mentioned site are at the Geological-Paleonthological Institute of the Yugoslavian Academy of Sciences [name changed?] in Zagreb. The materials presented at the Archeaelogical Museum of Istria in Pula (AMI) is of minor scientific importance. Neolithic (6,000 B.C. - 2,000 B.C) In the neolithic period, between 6000 and 2000 B.C., man abandoned most of the hunting activities and began to dedicate his time to crop rising and animal husbandry. Characteristic for this period is a better technique in the treatment of flint implements and weapons, together with the beginning of pottery production. Pots of various forms and size were made. Axes and hammers of hard stone with polished surfaces began to appear as well as elongated flint knives pointed at the edges. Some of these are on display at the Archeaological Museum of Istria. The oldest pottery from this period was found on the islands of Cres, Lošinj and Krk. It belongs to the older phase of the neolithic period, and is characterized by a typical ornament on the surface, made by impressing the surface with rims of shells and pointed instruments. The pottery decorated with the impressed shell rims is to be found more often on open sites (cardium impresso). Neolithic sites where this kind of pottery was found in Istria are Viula and Medulin, and Verudica and Andalja near Pula as well as Kavran and Vrin. This form of decoration is not only characteristic for the Istrian area but was generally used in the Mediterranean lands, consequently connections between Istria and other regions of the Mediterranean existed at that time. In the later phases of the neolithic period pottery is, as regards shape and decoration, connected closer to the so-called Danilo and Hvar cultures in Dalmatia. Aeneolithic (between Upper Stone Age and Bronze Age, approximately 4,000 B.C. - 2,000 B.C)
The finds of pottery and other objects from sod houses on the Gromace peninsula in Javorika Bay on the island of Brioni belong to the Istrian group of aeneolithic finds. Good copies of pots are exhibited at the Archeaologicval Museum of Istria, while the originals are in the Achaeological Collection on the island of Brioni. In the Aeneolithic period man used caves as well as houses partly dug in the ground. The caves Cingarela near Momjan, Veanska Pe in Vela Draga on the slopes of Učka, and Pečine above the Mirna river valley near Srbani, were inhabited in this period. The Aeneolithic idol from Kringa near Pazin (see photo) points to a general cultural and religious course with the rest of the Mediterranean regions, and particularly with the Aegean countries. |
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| Bronze Age
(2,000 B.C. - 800 B.C.) At the beginning of the second millenium B.C., important migrations of Indo-European tribes from Asia Minor to the Balkans took place. They denote the beginning of a new age in the prehistory of Istria. This is visible in the use of bronze for the manufacture of tools, weapons and jewellery, as well as in new spiritual and cultural values. In the Bronze Age (1800-1000 B.C.), a new type of settlement appears
- the so-called hillforts
[Istrian: kaštelir; Italian:
castellieri, Croatian: gradine], i.e.
A special technique was used in wall building. Huge stone blocks were extracted on the very site, so that on the terraces thus formed houses could be built. House walls were of stone and mortar-free up to the height of one metre, above that the construction being of timber and having a straw roof. Plateaus on top of hills were often built on as well. The houses having a rounded ground plan may have had their roofs made of stone slabs, which is similar in appearance to today's shepherds' field houses (kažun - casite). It is this similarity in appearance that enhances the possibility of an existing continuity in the building tradition of rural Istria, from the Bronze Age to the 20th century. Rounded houses were found on Pulac above Rijeka, and oblong ones on Kas near Bale and on Makadanj near Rovinj. The structure on the ridge between Mordele and Sv. Anđelo near Poreč, that was probably used for religious rites, has a rounded ground plan as well, with walls built of big stone blocks vertically placed. Similar structures are visible on Karastak near Rovinjsko Selo and on Kas near Bale. Beside these mostly well-preserved house and fortification walls, the entrances to the main hillfort terraces merit special attention. Such entrances were completely or partially excavated on Kunci near Labin, on Makadanj near Rovinj, on Vrčin and on the hillfort on Brioni Island. Entrances were at first wide and simple but later on were narrowed and generally made harder to penetrate, so as to make the approach to the centre of the settlement more difficult. As far as population density of these Bronze Age sites is concerned, a certain pattern can be noted, namely, one fortification being in the middle of a group of other ones, and serving as a centre, and not necessarily being the highest or biggest one. This pattern suggests the idea that some kind of tribal communes existed, in which the surrounding sites served as a shield to the central one. Finds of metal objects from this period are scarce and they very rarely appear in graves (daggers, knives, simple jewellery), or on settlement sites (bronze axes, spear heads). Towards the end of the Bronze Age bracelets with double spiral discs began to appear, as well as bronze spiral pendants. In contrast with the small number of metal objects found, many bone objects were found on the hillfort near Brioni Island, on Vrčin, in Nesactium and in Pula (tools for smoothing, for drilling, sewing needles). Many bone, stone or clay weights used in the manufacture of textile were found on Bronze Age sites in Istria. The inhabitants of Istria buried their dead under heaps of stone, either in a sitting position or lying on their sides. Graves were built of big and thin stone slabs, surrounded by low walls which appears to be an imitation of the way houses were built. The circle with the grave in the middle was then covered with stones. Such examples from Žamnjak, Maklavun and Paravija are shown are shown in an exhibition at the Archeaological Museum of Istria. Burial stone heaps are usually situated on top of hills individually, or in groups scattered over the whole hill in Žamnjak, Krmedski Novi Grad, and Šego near Rovinj. They appear mostly near Rovinj and Labin but are also known to appear in the northern parts of Istria, around the river Mirna. According to the finds from graves some can be dated to the beginning of the Bronze Age. During the Middle Bronze Age a new type of graveyard appears - that with a group of plain graves enclosed within a square low stone wall. Such graveyards, and also one containing but family graves in an enclosure, are on the hillfort on Brioni Island (1400- 1300 B.C.), and the necropolis Vrčin near Vodnjan (1300-1200 B.C.). Pottery fragments were found in many fireplaces in houses on Makadanj, and with them many pots and cups were reconstructed. In another house many stone mills were found - proof that agriculture was very much present in every day life of the Bronze Age man. The character of Bronze Age sites in Istria puts the peninsula into a larger framework of Mediterranean cultures, having links with the lands around the Danube. The inhabitants of Istria in the Bronze Age are called Proto Illyrians. Nesactium (circa 1,200 B.C. - 177 A.D.) - see The Histri and Nesactium Iron Age / Halstadt Period (800 B.C. - 300 B.C.) At the beginning of the first millenium B.C., another migration of people from the east provoked a change on the Istrian peninsula. Some of the hilltop settlements were probably destroyed, while on others life continued as before. Finds of bronze weapons, tools and jewellery in settlements are extremly rare, and the existence of iron as a material was not yet established. The biggest changes occurred in the burial rites. After the custom of burying the dead in a contorted position under a heap of stones, cremation came into use and cinerary urns were introduced. Such a cemetery with groups of family tombs is known from Limska Gradina, and it is not very different in its ground plan from the Upper Bronze Age graveyards on Vrčin or on the gradina [kaštelir] on Brioni Island. Stone slabs used in the construction of graves are reminiscent also of Bronze Age customs (Nesactium). A considerable number of Iron Age necropolises were discovered in Istria, with more than 2000 cinerary tombs. On exhibit at the Archeaological Museum of Pula are finds from 74 tombs on Limska Gradina. The necropolis is situated inside the settlement on the lower terrace near the wall, and was cut up into zones and divided by stone walls into smaller entities of family tombs, each containing several graves. The funeral pyre (ustrinum) was situated in the immediate proximity. Graves are dated to the period between the 11th and 8th centuries B.C. New pottery forms appear among the finds. Most of the urns are decorated with points and linear geometric patterns with a white incrustation in the grooves. Pots having a high handle and oblique wide grooves on the body were the most numerous. Among the bronze ornamental objects found were spiral pendants, rings, bracelets and needles. Links with the Italian peninsula strengthen from the 7th century B.C. onwards, and vases of the Venetic and Este cultures begin to appear. Their conical shape and black and red painted ornaments are characteristic for them.
Vases from northern Apulia (Daunia) are common on Istrian sites. They have a thin wall and are decorated with geometric patterns. This type of pot was imported by sea routes to Istria even before the 5th century B.C., and was in high demand. The most important finds exemplifying this pottery were made at Nesactium and at Picugi near Poreč (color photo, left). On the Picugi site, the Apulian vases imported from central and southern Italy were found together with black, polished pottery. Among them an urn with animal figures (vixen) on the lid and on the handles, must be mentioned. The form of the figures shows a clear Hallstattian influence, while the red paint is an Italic tradition. In one of the graves a bronze conical helmet was used as an urn.
In the Nesactium site some imitations of this imported type of pottery were also found. Pottery from Attica and Corinth in Greece is also found in Istria, imported probably from southern Italy and not directly from Greece (Magna Graecia). The Attic oinochoe with a painted scene showing a qliadriga and warriors, in black on a red background, is probably from around 490 B.C. Much younger are the fragments of the so called Gnathia pottery, imported from southern Italy (4th and 3rd centuries B.C.). The bronze vases - situlae - used as cinerary urns in graves, are among the most interesting finds of the Iron Age in Istria. For its figural decoration of horizontal friezes, with animals and warriors in procession, they are similar to situlae found in Vače (Slovenia) and in Bologna (Italy). Metal objects (bracelets, buckles, needles, pendants) conform with the already known types of the Hallstatt Iron Age culture. Fibulae, which appear in Istria for the first time at the beginning of the Iron Age, evolve into a whole range of types by its end.
There
are finds from the cinerary necropolises of Picugi, Pula, Kaštel above
the Dragonja river, Nova Vas near Brtonigla, Beram and Osor on exhibit
at the Archealogical Museum of Istria (AMI). Three fortified hilltop settlements east of Poreč are called
Picugi, and they were surely inhabited in prehistory. Two cemeteries
with 700 cinerary graves were excavated between 1883 and 1888 on the
foot of these hills. The older objects are attributable to the period
between the 9th and 5th centuries B. C. The youngest ones can be dated
by Middle La Tene fibulae found there, and imported gnathia as well as
other south Italic pottery. The necropolis of Pula with 450 graves was situated inside the city walls on the eastern hillside. The graves were excavated in three sections, in 1898, 1906-1910, and in 1957. This necropolis can be classified as belonging to the group of the oldest cinerary graveyards in prehistoric Istria. Local pottery found here is somewhat different from that found on other Istrian sites - it is somewhat more conservative in form and decoration development. The most characteristic pottery from here are vases of a similar form and decoration as those found in other necropolises. However, some of them are decorated with the application of zinc flakes. Among the finds from the necropolis at Nova Vas near Buje, the vase with deer figures is the most important. The graves on this site were found alI around the hilltop settlement, and can be dated to the beginning of the Iron Age in Istria.
Some examples of urns and other grave finds illustrate the necropolis of Kaštel above the Dragonja river in northern Istria where 24 graves were excavated between 1954 and 1955. Due to the small number of graves the variety of forms is nonexistent. Along with globular and biconic pots, many situlae-like vases appear. Only new vases were used for burial. The tombs were framed by stone slabs and sometimes they were carved out from the rock proper. The main slab was at the same time the tombstone. The graves are dated to the period between the 7th and 4th centuries B.C.
It seems that the Celtic migrations never touched the Istrian peninsula during the 4th and 3rd centuries B. C. ArchaeologicaI finds from this period are extremly rare. Some La Tene (Upper Iron Age) fibulae are exhibited among other archaeological material from corresponding sites. However, these are only isolated finds. Apart from fibulae and pottery, Celtic influence can be seen from place names and some names recorded on Roman stone inscriptions. Source:
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This page compliments of Marisa Ciceran Created: Thursday,
March 07, 2002; Last Updated:
Thursday, July 26, 2007
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Between the Upper Stone Age and the Bronze Age, together with the
already mentioned Danilo and Hvar pottery, a new kind of pottery appears
in Istria that is connected with the finds at Ljubljansko Barje and with
sites in northern Italy. 
Only a small number of metal objects were found on
Picugi, as is the case on other similar sites. Weapons are extremly
rare. Bracelets, rings, needles with various forms of heads, pendants
and buttons prevail. There is little jade but a lot of glass beads. Clay
weights and cylindrical spindles are parts of looms. 
The Divgrad settlement (Iron
Age castle) produced a clay slab with round holes that has been partly
reconstructured. It was found in 
The most important finds from this
necropolis are cinerary clay urns (see illustration). A variety of forms of local handmade
ceramics is evident from the exhibited urns. Urns with incised geometric
decoration on their surface and with white paste filling, often have
bird motifs in geometric succession. Many small vases with different
handle shapes were found on Picugi. They were used in sacrificial rites.
The smaller ones were probably toys.
The necropolis in Beram
was situated beneath the second protective wall of the settlement. In
the years 1883 and 1884 more then 300 graves were explored, with the
majority of the finds ending up in the museums of Trieste and Vienna,
while the Archaeological Museum of Istria boasts in its collection but
some urns. Clay pots, bronze situlae, cistae and kettles (see
illustration) were used as
urns. In one tomb ashes were found in a bronze helmet, as in the already-mentioned grave on
Picugi. A number of imported vases were found,
including two Apulian urns. The graves date from the period between the
end of the 8th to the 4th centuries B.C., but younger graves with
fibulae from the 
Finds in graves from
Osor, on
the island of Cres, belong to the culture of the Liburni. In a tumulus
discovered in 1959 seven tombs were found containing objects dating from
the 8th and 7th centuries B. C. - a fibula with a jade covering on the
arch, a spiral fibula, and a fibula of the Italic type. All of this
illustrates the difference in rites and customs among inhabitants of the
northern Adriatic sea basin.