Between June 25 and July 4, 2019 the members of CIPAC, Prof. Dr. Rodrigo Torres and researcher Dr. Samila Ferreira, were participating in the archaeological excavation project on the Kornati island in Croatia.
Archaeological sites in the Kornati archipelago date to different historical periods, with the earliest testimonies of human presence stretching back to Prehistory. Besides the find of a stone axe from either the Eneolithic/Neolithic period, the stone cairns around the field of Tarac clearly demonstrate human presence in Prehistory. The Tureta fortress is located in the central part of the western coast of the island of Kornati. Underneath the fortress is the church of Our Lady of Tarac. Based on the current results of archaeological excavations, the church is built on the foundations of a Roman villa rustica. Occupation continued into the Middle Ages, which is confirmed by numerous archaeological finds, such as a golden coin from Langobard mints, date to 8 century AD.
Excavations in the area started in 2006, and beginning in 2011 were concentrated on the location of the church and Tureta fortress. In parallel, conservation and restoration operations were done in order to protect and preserve the walls exposed during archaeological excavations. Besides the excavations in Tarac inlet, in 2018 a survey of the 16th century fisherman’s village on island of Piškera was executed, and underwater survey was done on the islands of Svršata, Lavsa, Kaselica, Mana, as well as in Šipnata and Opat inlet on the island of Kornat. In the future, excavations are planned in a cave on the island of Kurba, a recently discovered archaeological site from the period of Classical Antiquity.
By integrating collected data and selecting relevant archaeological sites, a cultural-historical route could be created, with both touristic and educational purposes. By visiting selected sites, visitors could gain knowledge about human activities from Prehistory until the present day.
Financing: Mobility and Exchanges Academic Program (CSIC / UdelaR) and University of Zadar.
