Original scientific paper

Late antique fortification of Galešnik above Jelsa

Miroslav Katić orcid.org/0000-0002-6450-0165 ; Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments

Abstract

The late antique fortification of Galešnik is located on the island of Hvar, on a hill south of Jelsa. A Roman road that connected the eastern and western parts of the island used to run next to it. The fortification was built on the site of a late Bronze Age hill-fort. During the 2021 research, prehistoric and late antique material was found in a small archaeological test pit, mostly fragments of Bronze Age vessels of coarser fabric, as well as late antique amphorae, cooking pots, tegulae and floor tiles. Traces of burning were visible in the stratigraphic image of S. I. Radiocarbon analysis of a sample taken from the layer of burning indicates that it originates from the eighth century. The author compares the destruction at Galešnik with the traces of burning in the early Christian complex of the church of St. John in Stari Grad on the island of Hvar (Pharos) and a similar layer (layer B) discovered during the 1994/1996 archaeological excavations in the town of Hvar (Lisina). In the eighth century, there occurred destruction on the island of Hvar, in which the late antique fortification of Galešnik was shattered, as well as the towns of Pharia and Lisina. According to the Byzantine emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus states, the island was subsequently dominated by the rural landscape and the ruins of towns. There was no major reconstruction on the island
of Hvar until the 11th century.

Keywords

late antique fortification of Galešnik; Jelsa; Tor; Lisina; Pharos; eighth century; Constantine Porphyrogenitus

Hrčak ID:

284770

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/284770

Publication date:

1.12.2021.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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