Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.21857/y6zolb4xvm
Archaeological excavations in the area of the Svetice Pauline Monastery complex
Miroslav Razum
; Country Museum Ozalj, Ozalj, Croatia
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
In this article, the results of archaeological excavations in the area of the Svetice Pauline Monastery complex undertaken in 2020 by the Ozalj Heritage Museum, are analysed. Monastery church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is an important architectural monument of historical and artistic value, and its oldest building phase dates back from the beginning of the sixteenth century. Pauline monastery was founded in 1627, and its first phase was lasting until 1786 when all of possessions of Pauline fathers were confiscated. Shortly after the foundation of the monastery the church was enlarged and the rest of the complex built. The main focus of the archaeological excavations was a crypt, located under the church and consisting of four chambers. All of 24 graves were researched, and although all of them were found in disturbed condition, many interesting finds were found including bronze buttons, small crosses, and rosary beads as well as several textile and leather fragments which were subsequently restored. The most important find is parta (decorative crown) which probably belonged to a noble woman, taking in account that its fragments were found in a separated burial chamber consisted of just two burial places. According to 14C analyses on bone fragment, and typology of excavated finds, burials in the crypt can be broadly dated to the seventeenth and eighteenth century. Archaeological excavations also took place in the former monastery courtyard, which was at the northern and eastern side flanked by two monastery building wings demolished in 1921 after the fire. Two small trenches were opened on the part of the wings' southern and western wall respectively, and it can be concluded that initially on northern and eastern side of the courtyard there was an arcade porch, but when the monastery was transformed into school in 1859, the arcades were walled up. The third trench was excavated next to the well, where interesting paving and drainage were found. Silver pfennig coined in Klagenfurt in 1566 dates this part of the complex to the second half of the sixteenth century. Generally, it can be concluded that results of this archaeological research, although confined to the limited area, showed some previously unknown interesting details about the history of the Svetice monastery. It also gave us insight into the daily life and funeral customs of the lower nobility of the Ozalj during the early modern period.
Keywords
Svetice; Ozalj; Pauline Fathers; Post-medieval archaeology; archaeological excavations
Hrčak ID:
318569
URI
Publication date:
27.6.2024.
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