Original scientific paper
The Seventh Grave and Other Individual Finds from Crkvina in Biskupija near Knin
Maja Petrinec
; Muzej hrvatskih arheoloških spomenika
Abstract
The so-called seventh grave was discovered on 19 June 1892 during the amateur archaeological dig of Fra Lujo Marun at Crkvina in Biskupija near Knin. It was found four metres south of the basilica, approximately parallel with the last pair of pillars. It was dug in the usual earthen grave and the deceased was lying in a poorly preserved coffin. The grave was later referred to in archaeological literature as the "seventh grave". Alongside the skull, a gold Byzantine solidus of Constantine V Copronymus and Leo IV was found, on his belt was an iron buckle and a silver tubular buckle and next to his legs iron spurs and associated accessories. Of the items found at that time, the silver tubular buckle and loop piece ofa spur's fittings and the buckle ofa belt are missing today The seventh grave is one ofa total often graves which were dug into the earth for burial in a coffin located south of the basilica at Crkvina in Biskupija. These graves and the luxury finds that came ITom them have been an object of interest ITom the moment they were discovered at the end ofthe 19th century until today, which is well known and about which there exists extensive archaeological literature. But the lack of any kind of documentation from the investigations and the uncJear circumstances of the discovery have resulted, especially recently, in varying sometimes completely contradictory interpretations as a result of which the picture has become additionally cloudy. This is particularly expressed in the question of the reLationship between the graves and architecture. Namely, it is less well known that a revision of the archaeological dig was conducted in 2000 in the area south ofthe basilica and in its narthex. Tn this revision it was shown unambiguously that all ten graves as well as the four stone vaulted tombs belong to a graveyard laid out in rows which pre-date the building of the basilica and narthex. This is clearly evidenced by the remains of the grave hale of the so-called fourth grave researched by Marun which belongs to the same level as the seventh and is located underneath the foundations of the southern part of the narthex, and even more by the fact that all the vaulted tombs are older than the church. Their orientation also points to this: they are laid out in a west-east direction and are out ofline when compared to the walls of the church and narthex. All authors who have considered the arte facts from these Biskupija graves, as well as the spurs ITom the seventh grave have pointed out their Frankish origin citing analogies with the area of the Carolingian empire. But T do not find the most meaningful parallel with the spurs ITom the seventh grave in the area of the Carolingian empire but in Slovakia which is totally unremarked upon in domestic archaeological literature. l refer to a pair ofspurs from grave 1205 in the noble castle of Ducove in the Vih valley north of Piešt'any in Slovakia. Those sp urs are also iron and decorated with inlaid spiral scrolls, a motif of the tree oflife and Greek crosses. Their legs, similarly to the Biskupija samples, end in little plates with four pairs of rivets and the spurs' accessories consist of similarly decorated strap-ends in a U shape and oval loop pieces. With the spurs was also found a propeller buckle of late Avar belt fittings which is significantly before the chronological determination of the grave. Grave 1205 is part ofa small graveyard with a total of 17 graves situated on the southern plateau of Ducove castle near a stone rotunda with ahorseshoe apse. It did not grow around the church but is distinctly separate from it. l find a further similarity with the situation in Biskupija in the circumstances of their discovery; the above grave was found along with eight men's graves lined up in a raw with spurs and associated spur accessories. The remaining women's and children's graves contained lavish gold and giltjewellery. According to Alexander Ruttkay, Ducove castle existed from the mid 9th to the mid 10th century and the graveyard originated in the time of Greater Moravia, or in the second half of the 9th century. T consider this dating to be too late which M. SchulzeD6rrlam has already pointed out correctlyasserting that in deternlining its dating it must be taken into account that a propeller buckle oflate Avar belt garniture was also found in grave 1205 so the first burials certainly pre-date the Greater Moravian period and probably tall into the first third of the 9th century or into the time of the reign of Duke Pribina. Apart ITOm the spurs, a belt buckle was also found in the seventh grave. The tubular buckles probably strengthened the narrow end of a leather or woven belt which was drawn through the buckle when being tastened. [n grave 1205 in Ducove castle alongside the spurs was also found a so-called propeller buckle of late Avar belt fittings. Although it is well known that a great number of late Avar belt buckles and strap-ends come from Crkvina in Biskupija, it is less well known that four such examples were discovered in the layers ofearth undemeath the narthex ofthe basilica and that it can be presumed that they come from one of the destroyed or incompletely investigated graves. I refer to two smooth bronze heart-shaped undecorated buckJes, a bronze strap-end with a decoration in the shape of a stylised vine and a bronze strap-end with an anthropomorphic image. The Biskupija strapends and buckles belong chronologically to the late horizon ofAvar/Slavic graves or, in fact, to a specific group offinds noted in the style ofBlatnica. Their presence in an area significantly distant from the heartland of the widespread Avar/Slavic culture certainly demands a special explanation. Certain attempts to interpret these finds as an inheritance from the Avars, who, according to recorded historical sources, ruled Dalmatia for two centuries, are not convincing, specially when one considers that they belong to the end ofthe 8th or beginning ofthe 9th century, that is the period ofthe Frankish-Avar wars and the time oftheir immediate aftermath. Part of these artefacts probably represent plunder taken during those wars and thus particularly evidence the support that the Croats provided to the Franks in the final smashing of the Avar empire. But other explanations are also possible and it can be supposed that part of the finds oflate Avar origin arrived in the area of the Croatian dukedom during the rebellion of Ljudevit Posavski who came into conflict with Croatian duke Borna in 819 and ravage his dukedom. However, Borna's men in surprise attacks inflicted heavy losses on him and the sources mention as many as 3000 soldiers killed and 300 horses captured. During those attacks, individuals who participated in them may have come into possession of the artefacts in question or taken them as plunder from Ljudevit's dead or captured men. Finally, it should be emphasised that the striking similarity ofthe spurs from grave 7 with those from grave 1205 at Ducove castle, the similar circumstances of the discovery ofboth graves in positions where important centres ofearly Slav dukedoms were to be formed, inside the graves of the ruling class, and the common appearance of artefacts of late Avar and early Carolingian origin as characteristics of the Blatnica-Mikulčice horizon, clearly point to the period from the late 8th to early 9th century. Nor should we forget the already mentioned fact that it has been shown by the recent revision digs that all the graves as well as the walled vaulted tombs belong to a graveyard set out in rows which pre-dates the construction of the basilica at Crkvina in Biskupija. Therefore it can be concluded that the whole Biskupija-Crkvina horizon is chronologically compatible with the Blatnica-Mikulčice horizon, that is the late third of the 8th and first third of the 9th century. An addition confirmation of this dating is provided by a new piece of information on the origin of a third pair of spurs which until now has been wrongly ascribed to Biskupija-Crkvina in the literature. These spurs were discovered in Morpolača near Benkovac in 1908. They originate from a grave dug in a usual earthen hole and next to the deceased's legs as well as the spurs was found an intact ceramic bow!. Immediately next to this grave another similar grave was discovered with a pair of iron early Carolingian spurs and a sword ofType l and so in this case too it may be supposed that there was not a long gap of time between the two burials. It is a question of an ordinary graveyard set out in rows with pagan burial characteristics which can be chronologically determined to the turn ofthe 8th to the 9th century. For the chronological determination ofthe gilt spurs from Morpolača it is a significant fact that a Type I sword was discovered in the neighbouring grave. These swords were manufactured by Frankish weapons workshops on the Rhine during the second half or late 8th century. They were produced and in use exclusively in the 8th and occasionally still at the beginning of the 9th century and were developed on the basis of examples from late Merovingian times. Therefore the graves from Morpolača can also be dated from the first third ofthe 9th century at the latest which lends additional weight to the dating of the Biskupija examples. Translation: Nicholas Philip SayweJl
Keywords
Biskupija-Crkvina; graves. spurs; Ducove; Blatl1ico-Mikulčice horizon
Hrčak ID:
81718
URI
Publication date:
22.9.2006.
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