City of Split Heritage Journal, No. 35, 2009.
Original scientific paper
ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE LOCALITY OF NOVA COLOR IN SPLIT
Maja Bilić
; Palisada d.o.o., Trilj
Ante Ivišić
; Palisada d.o.o., Trilj
Šime Vulić
; Palisada d.o.o., Trilj
Abstract
A residential-business complex with accompanying garages was planned to be constructed in Split, in Ljudevita Posavskog street. Prior to construction, it was proved necessary to demolish the old Nova Color factory building, and, then, to carry out the archaeological
probe-research. The overall number of seven probes, (S1-S7), together with two trenches, (R1-R2) were excavated at the site. The probe 2 identified a late antique grave under tegulae that were arranged in the east-west direction. Tegulae were arranged in the form of the roof consisting of two surfaces. Four tegulae were laid flat on lateral sides and three imbrices were laid over their joints. On the top of the grave, a tegula was vertically laid. Another tegula found
on the west portion of the grave, was laid directly onto the legs of the skeleton, whereas all other tegulae were laid onto the surface of the ground in which the skeleton was buried.
The stretched palms of the hands were positioned below the pelvis and placed on fragmented tegula. The rest of the skeleton was laid directly onto the ground. It was revealed by the well-preserved bones that the skeleton belonged to a relatively young male. None of the other findings were revealed at the site. This particular grave is said to be a remnant of a large necropolis that surrounded two
early-Christian basilicas. Their remnants are preserved in close proximity of a building site where similar graves were once found. The remnants of necropolis at this particular site were destroyed during construction works in the past. The north portion of the probe 2 revealed a preserved construction containing two massive walls and an array of canals between them.
These canals currently function as precipitation and fecal sewage system. The construction is situated on the entire surface of the 48 square metre site, in the east-west direction. The construction
continues to the east into the yard of a neighbouring building, whereas the walls at its west corner twist: one twists towards the south-west, and another towards north-east to be connected with another fragmented wall that continues all the way towards the outer borders of the site. The north and south surfaces of the wall have been cleaned and the orthophoto procedure has been carried out. Orthophoto revealed stitches along the wall. The lower part
of the south wall is made of irregularly shaped stones, that were covered with plaster. Its upper part was, however, made of smaller stones. This specific and different construction of the two
walls indicates different phases of their making. Rectangular openings, that descend towards the canals, are visible on both walls. The south wall is 70 centimetres wide and the north one is 80 centimetres wide. The aforementioned construction lost its original function when its adjacent west walls were built: since then it has been used as precipitation and fecal sewage system. A small part of a previously devastated room containing a wood stove and a toilet bowl was also revealed next to the north wall.
The research brought yet another fact to light: repeated construction works in the past resulted in the devastation of the entire locality. The locality is double-layered, its cultural layer being devastated to a large extent. A large number of archaeological findings were revealed
in the so-called light brown layer and between the light brown and red layer. A considerably smaller number of findings were revealed in the red layer. The disordered findings in the light brown layer are dated to several periods of human history. The most significant findings include fragments of glazed pottery, created in the period between the end of the 14th, the early 15th and 18th century. The significant findings also include the fragments of the antique and
late antique pottery. The most predominant types of glazed pottery revealed at the site are the so-called maiolica pottery dating from the period between the 15th and early 18th century, and the fragments of the late antique sgraffito pottery, dating from the 16th and 17th century.
The archaic sgraffito pottery from the period between the late 14th and early 15th century was also revealed by the research as well as some fragments of rough and painted pottery from the 15th and 16th century. The majority of revealed pottery includes the fragments of amphora and kitchenware handles, brims, walls and linings. Some fragments of glass containers were also revealed by the research. Certainly, the most prominent among them are the fragments of the so-called krautstrunkt-type glasses, that were revealed in the probes 1 and 3, a well-preserved glass lid and a fragment of a bracelet that was made of glass paste. A large number of preserved and fragmented bronze objects were revealed, such as the fragments of needles, rings, little buckles, and some late antique bronze coins. The research also revealed a significant number of retouched flint tools, such as knives, scrapers and two gunflints.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
65959
URI
Publication date:
26.11.2009.
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