Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.52064/vamz.58.1.5
Ancient land division and cultural landscape in the Zagreb metropolitan area
Marko Rukavina
Sara Popović
Abstract
This paper presents the results of research into the previously
unknown ancient land division in the Zagreb metropolitan area.
Numerous remains of linear structures were identified by interpretation
of the available digital terrain model (DTM) made for
the City of Zagreb in 2012 and the state airborne laser scanning
(ALS) conducted in 2023. Mapping in GIS enabled the identification
of structures that correspond with the Roman metric system
of land division into 20 x 20 acti, i.e. approximately 710 x 710
metres. This facilitated reconstruction of the orientation of the
Roman cadastre. The interpretation of the ALS data of the 1080-
km2 area revealed the remains of limites in the area, spanning
across 700 km2. Two land-division layouts of different orientation
can be detected. At numerous locations, regular rows of tumuli
were detected, of Noric-Pannonian type, that follow the centuriation
axes. A total of 575 tumuli were recognized. Tumuli were also
detected along the ancient communication routes, which do not
always correspond with the land-division layouts. The interpretation
of the ALS data revealed the presence of around 7.2 kilometres
of ancient main roads in the Turopolje area, around 4 kilometres
in the Sesvete area, and around 30 kilometres of vicinal roads
altogether. The field survey encompassed only a small portion of
the area examined by ALS. Tumuli were recognized in the terrain
morphology, while the remains of centuriation could only rarely
be observed, as variations in altitude compared to the surrounding
terrain. The knowledge of the ancient landscape of this area
has been supplemented through this research.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
335120
URI
Publication date:
8.9.2025.
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