Other
Hvar, St. Clement island, Soline Bay, archaeological investigations in 2013
Marina Ugarković
; Institute of Archaeology, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivančica Schrunk
orcid.org/0000-0002-7108-004X
; University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
Vlasta Begović
; Institute of Archaeology, Zagreb, Croatia
Marinko Petrić
; Hvar Heritage Museum, Hvar, Croatia
Tina Neuhauser
; ArchaeoAir, Ligist, Austria
Abstract
During June 2013 the investigations of the Roman villa located in Soline Bay on the island of St. Clement (Sv. Klement near Hvar) continued in its seventh season. Researchers from four institutions (Hvar Heritage Museum, Institute of Archaeology in Zagreb, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Institute of Archaeology at the University of Graz) collaborated on the project, with a number of student and volunteer participants. We excavated three trial trenches down to the bedrock (T 11-13). In Probe 11, the extension of Probe 8 from 2012, twenty-four stratigraphic units (SU 11000-11023) were documented. We uncovered segments of three intersecting walls (N-S/E-W), which enclosed two partially excavated spaces (R 2 and R 3). One significant find in Probe 2 was a floor made in opus signinum (SU 11023) with a round depression 50 cm wide, which sloped down to an imbedded stone bowl (D=32.5 cm) at its bottom. This structure may have served as a basin for olive oil sedimentation or for draining crushed olives or more probably as a water cistern. Most importantly, the evidence of an earlier building phase was documented in Probe 11. A stone wall foundation SU 11021 was foundon the bedrock, running at a slight angle but under the N-S wall SU 11012. The E-W wall SU 11009 (abutting SU 11012) of the late antique orientation sat on the earlier wall foundation. This wall foundation probably belonged to the early Imperial period over which the late antique structures were built in a somewhat different orientation. Fragments of wall plaster, some with traces of polychrome paint, were found in the clayish brown soil (SU 11020) above the bedrock in the southern part of the trench. The new finds of melted glass are interesting, but alone may not be indicative of any glass production. Probe 12, the extension of Probe 10 from 2012, contained twenty-seven stratigraphic units (SU 12000-12027) and segments of two intersecting walls (N-S/E-W). The N-S wall SJ 12010 was the continuation of the wall uncovered in 2012. The E-W wall SJ 12004 was set over the N-S wall SU 2010 at a slight angle. It did not run through the entire trench. Numerous fragments of charred roof tiles (tegulae and imbrices) were found in the eastern half of the trench, collapsed over a burned floor (SU 12021). One fragment had a complete PANSIANA stamp of the Augustan period. This would indicate the reuse of tiles in the late antique construction. The clayish layer below the floor (SJ 12022) yielded a few small fragments of late Hellenistic and early Roman fine wares. The Probes 11 and 12 yielded a total number of 26 bronze coins of which many were found in closed contexts. They are still in the process of cleaning. This number of coins is significant in relation to only three bronze coins (2nd and 4th c. and illegible late Roman) found in the previous six seasons. Probe 13 was opened at the south end of the standing wall B in order to determine its continuation. Only three stratigraphic units were recorded (SU 1300-13003). We found that the wall ended in an L-shaped structure made of fine and rough cut stone blocks set in fine mortar, which extended westward and probably formed an entrance. The structure and the foundation of wall B rested on a layer of mortar laid over the bedrock.
Keywords
Pakleni otoci, island of St. Clement; Soline bay; Roman villa; Late Roman architecture; the economy of Roman villa
Hrčak ID:
128701
URI
Publication date:
17.10.2014.
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