Original scientific paper
Koprivnice Accidental Archeological Finds in Podravina’s Gravel Exploitation Artificial Ponds, on Exhibit at Koprivinica Town Museum
Robert Čimin
orcid.org/0000-0001-5628-4135
; Koprivnica Town Museum, Koprivnica, Croatia
Abstract
Podravina is abundant with artificial ponds, made in gravel exploitation, now anthropogenic lakes that are used for geological material exploitation (gravel, sands) for building and construction purposes. In some of these ponds were found large numbers of archeological finds from different historical periods. Looking at the archeological material found, it’s safe to conclude they’re the richest, or at least the most complex, localities in Podravina. Or, should we say, conditionally they’re the locality sites’, since all the found artifacts are out of context, serving only to verify the very existance in time and space. Such findings have become highly valuable museum objects; to archeology science they’re interesting strictly within certain scientific research, analyses, mapping of individual objects and making various comparisons. Besides, it’s important to stress that these artifacts were not found by archeologists, but gravel exploitation workers in their work process. Only in exceptional cases such finds were donated to the museum; on most cases, the artifacts were kept in private collections. Sometimes these items are impossible to get hold of; however, some private collectors have been very interested and open to cooperation with archeologists (Ivan Zvijerac, Josip Cugovčan, and Milan Laklija). This is why this paper covers only a shortlisted selection of found archeological artifacts from Podravina gravel exploitation artificial ponds that are in the possession of Koprivnica town museum. These artifacts help the preservation of local heritage and the build awareness why it’s so important. Certainly we hope there will be new donations of archeological finds to Koprivnica town museum, the only place such artifacts can achieve scientific evaluation and recognition they deserve.
Keywords
Drava river; gravel exploitation artificial pond; archeological finds; paleontology; prehistory; antiquity; Middle and Modern ages
Hrčak ID:
112954
URI
Publication date:
1.12.2013.
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