Original scientific paper
EARLY CROATIAN CHURCH OF SV. SPAS (ST. SAVIOUR) AT THE SOURCE OF THE RIVER CETNA IN THE LIGHT OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCHES
Dušan Jelovina
; Split
Abstract
In the cetina village, situated at the source of the river Cetina, remains of Sv. Spas with a big necropolis round it have been preserved. The church and the graveyard rank among the most important Early Croatian sites on the territory of the old Croatian state. Due to their importance, archeological survey and conservation were undertaken immediately after the end of the 2nd World War. Five research campaigns were carried out between 1947–1954.
The surroundings of the village Cetina, as well as the whole territory along the middle course of the river abound in numerous finds from earlier periods. The earliest finds originated from the Early stone age, while numerous stone burrows with the finds from the Early Bronze Age indicate that the area was densly populated at that time.
The researches have revealed that Sv. Spas is an isleless structure with trafoil choir and a high square bell-tower at the front. It is one of the oldest and best preserved monuments of the Early Mediaeval ecclesiastical architecture in the continental part of early Croatian State. The plan of Sv. Spas is a transition type from the central to the longitudinal one. It was built in the second half of the 9th century or at the latest in the early 10th centuries Later, most probably in the 12th or 13th centuries it was rebuilt and lenthend, as is testified by the added square apses, while the original one was semicircular.
Among the decorative church interior two stone architraves of the altar screen with the inscribed names of the church donators župan (district-prefect) Gastika and his mother Nemira are most important. The inscription, written in semiuncial letters, reveals that the church was consecrated to Christ and that tradition was well preserved in its present-day name Sv. Spas, the Saviour.
Around the church of Sv. Spas was discovered the biggest Croatian necropolis on the territory of Dalmatia containning 1,162 burials. Among numerous finds (jewelry, tools, arms, coins, cloth) outstanding pieces of jewelry, especially earrings and finger-rings, were made of silver or guilded silver and can be dated from the 9th to the 15th centuries. Eye-catching are parts of a silver belt adorned with chased human and animal figures and those of phantastic animals (griffins) showing Gothic features. Silver censer must have also originated from this site. It is a unique of the kind not only in Croatia, but in Europe as well. The censer, made of bronze and silver and partly gilded, was cast and decorated with niello and chip-carving ornaments. It is an early Carolingian product from the second half of the 8th century brought in Dalmatia by Frankish missionaries when they christened the Croats after 800.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
155604
URI
Publication date:
13.12.1990.
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