Original scientific paper
Archaeological survey in the territory of the Roman oil factor y in Marić Bay (Porto Marricio) near Barbariga; An early imperial agricultural estate – sanctuary of late Roman population
Josip Višnjić
; Croatian Conservation Institute, Department for Archaeology, Jursici, Croatia
Luka Bekić
; Croatian Conservation Institute, Department for Underwater Archaeology, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivica Pleština
; Croatian Conservation Institute, Department for Archaeology, Jursici, Croatia
Abstract
In 2008, archaeologists of the Croatian Conservation Institute dug exploratory archaeological test pits in Marić Bay near Barbariga. The area surveyed encompassed the terrain to the north and west of the previously known, but still unexplored, complex of a Roman oil factory. The goal of the exploration was to collect information on whether there are any architectonic or other archaeological finds in the area designated for tourist development. Thus, the competent authorities and the investor could assess realistically the possibility of designing and constructing a tourist complex. The location of the oil factory had been known even before the survey, so the land designated for the development of tourist facilities did not encompass the zone of the oil-factory complex. What was still unknown, however, was the plateau to the north and west of the oil factory.
The exploration began with the discovery of the most prominent western wall of the oil factory, which was used as an orientation point for all other test pits. During the works, it was established that a wall surrounded the factory premises and closed the courtyard on the western side. In the north-western corner of the yard, there was a small building used for storage. The plateaus to the north and west of the central part of the complex were enclosed by drywalls. In view of the known character of the site, before the exploration began, one could expect to find remains of life in the classical period of Roman rustic villas, but the uncovered finds offered a very different picture of what life was like in this locality. Only a small number of movable finds testify to the way in which the site functioned in the early imperial period, while most finds can be dated to the period between the 4th and 6th
c. The position of the test pits – none of them located in the central part of the complex – certainly played a role in the ratio of early imperial to late Roman finds, but, more importantly, it confirmed that one of the rustic villas was in use as late as the early Middle Ages. The late Roman population of Marić Bay produced their own food, but, in addition, they also imported food items, primarily from the North African territory, which was the strongest production centre of the time. On top of food items, luxury ware and amphorae were also imported from there. Certain products were arriving from other parts of the Empire, too: for example, from Germania, Lusitania and the Middle East. Local manufacturing is confirmed by finds relating to animal husbandry and fishing, as well as the numerous fragments of coarse ware. Their dating was corroborated by the discovery of three Roman copper coins, while the presence of the Christian cult on the site was proven by two bottoms of square bottles made of greenish glass, bearing identical Christograms in the form of the mirror-image of letters ‘P’ and ‘X’.
Keywords
Marić Bay; late classical antiquity; pottery; amphorae; villa rustica; drywalls
Hrčak ID:
103594
URI
Publication date:
20.12.2010.
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