Original scientific paper
TECHNICAL ASSISTANTS OF THE CROATIAN SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES
Stanko Piplović
; HR- 21000, SPLIT, Ul. Sedam Kaštela 2
Abstract
The Knin Society of Antiquaries was founded in 1887 by Fra Lujo Marun. One of its major difficulties was the lack of skilled technicians: architects, surveyours and draughtsmen, i.e. people who were able to make technical representations of high quality, and who could interpret and reconstruct early mediaeval buildings. Over a period of half a century, three distinguished architects were c:ollaborating with the Society and these were Josip Slade from Trogir, Ćiril Iveković and Ejnar Dyggve. With them should be noted also Ante Bezić who was a teacher in Split and Frano Radić. Occasionally help was received from other engineers. The lack of technical aid was caused by the discontinuity in the work of the Society.
J. Slade was for a time employed in the building section in the Governorship in Zadar. In 1887 he was transfered to Knin where he remained until retirement. Immediately Slade became active in the Society and became its vice-president. He made plans for the mrst Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments in Knin which was solemn1y opened in 1893. The Museum was a small single-storey building which corresponded to the humble possibilities of the Society.
F. Radić is one of the pioneers of national archaeology. He studied architecture in the Polytechnic in Vienna but was not able to complete his studies owing to lack of finances. Most of his working life he spent as a teacher in Korčula. Radić was a scientific reporter of the Society of Antiquaries and the main editor of the journal "Starohrvatska prosvjeta«. This is where he published most of his works and drawings of mediaeval churches made during his field surveys. His graphical data ,is rather schema-tic and not always totally reliable but it still haS a great importance for the study of the architectural history of Dalmatia.
The most important assistant to the Society was C. Iveković. In 1896 he moved from Sarajevo to Zadar where he worked in the Governorship as a referee for clerica. His spare time he devoted to archaeology and the protection of ancient monuments. His first job for the Society was a graphical reconstruction of the basilica on Kapitui by Knin based on the excavations of Bulić and the drawings of A. Bezić. Together with Marun he excavated Roman Asseria by Benkovac. He was active in the building of a church in V,id by Metković which included the excavation of the surrounding area with the consequent discovery of old buildings and helmets. Radić was working in the territory of the village of Bilice by Lake P.rokljan and he made a ground-plan of an early Cl1l1istian basilica.
As the building of the first museum in Knin became crowded, Iveković in 1910 drew a plan for a new museum.This has never been realised. In 1911 and 1912 Marun and Iveković carried out field-walking on Bribirska glavica by Skradin where remains from prehistory to the mediaeval period, especially the Roman settlement of Varvaria, were hidden. Iveković vas conducting excavations for the Archaeological Institute in Vienna in the Roman fortress of Burnum by Ivoševci. Thus Iveković compiled technical documentation for numerous archaeological sites and he also .interpreted them. Within the Society he had many functions. He was the main referee of the scientific committee and after he left for Zagreb after the First World War, he was one of the initiators o the revived journal "Starohrvatska prosvjeta« and also vice-president of the Society.
The Danish architect E. Dyggve visited Dalmatia several times between the two wars supported by the Rask Oersted Foundation. Several times Dyggve, asked by the Society, offered his skills. He worked on the basilica in Nin, Mokro polje by Knin and on the basilica of St. Marija by Biskupija.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
95499
URI
Publication date:
9.10.1990.
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