Prethodno priopćenje
The ritual establishment of proto-urban settlements in medieval Slavonia
Juraj Belaj
; Institut za arheologiju, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Sažetak
The site Crkvišće is located on the naturally protected incline on the Mrežnice river bend. The plateau, which slightly inclines towards the north, is in the shape of an irregular triangle (the length of the western side is around 110 meters, the northeast around 80 meters and the southeast side is around 85 meters) and is naturally protected from the west by a steep slope which descends toward the Mrežnica River canyon.
The remains of a single-nave church with a semi-circular apse are located on the northern, the highest and most dominant part of the plateau. The landscape clearly shows the vista of a protective wall, with a width
of around 2m, which protected the plateau from the eastern and northern side, while traces of loose stones on the western side open up the possibility that this side was also additionally strengthened by a wall.
The researched single-nave church measures 15.17x7.41m, with a shallow semi-circular apse (2m depth) and two entrances (one on the south and the other, the main, on the west façade).
In the sanctuary there is a plastered subselia in its entire length preserved as well the remains of the cathedra and the sacrarium or lavatorium, traces of the base of an altar and, most likely, the traces of the
altar screen. The existence of screed is documented within the interior of the church. A similar spatial order of the sanctuary that is typical for late ancient churches is evident in several locations throughout the
Dalmatian province (Žažvić Crkvina, Biskupija – site Katića Bajami) as well as the existence of a subselia (Cickini on Krk, Osor, Omiš – Brzet, Salona, Crkvina in Trbounj, Podvršje – Glavčine) and in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (Čitluk near Šipovi, Doci near Ljubuški, Crkvina in Klobuk, Šiprage on Vrbanja), as well as in Slovenia (Tononcov grad, Rifnik, Vranj, Podzemelj, Ajdna, Kučar). The humble dimensions and simple
spatial disposition can be viewed as a reflection of the socio-political organization, and it can, with some reserve, be assumed that this is a simple late ancient military church.
The site Crkvišće can, based on the analogies from the Slovenian region, with great certainty be interpreted as a late ancient elevated fortress with a simple single-nave church with a semi-circular apse and
can be dated to the 5/6th century era. It is located above the river in a location which is naturally protected by steep rocks, (elevation of an erstwhile prehistoric structure from the Bronze era) on a strategic location
which most likely controlled important late ancient communication. The protective walls (with at least one tower), which surround the incline from two sides, can be dated, with great certainty, also in the late
ancient era, although, without detailed research the possibility cannot be excluded that these fortifications were also used at a later time. An additional confirmation of these assumptions is certainly the late ancient
ceramic objects collected during research as well as the samples of coal which were dated by the radiocarbon
analysis to the era of the 5/6th century. Only the continuation of investigations will show significantly more data necessary for more precise
dating of the church and fortress, their relationship, continuity and understanding of what type of fortress this was.
Ključne riječi
Hrčak ID:
164508
URI
Datum izdavanja:
23.6.2014.
Posjeta: 1.440 *