PHOTO: SERGIO GOBBO, CNTB
The Most Prominent Archaeological Sites

BURNUM

The remains of Burnum, an ancient Roman military camp, colloquially referred to as "Šuplja crkva" (Hollow Church), are located in the settlement of Ivoševci, about 19 km from the town of Knin. Following the road from Knin to Zadar there are two arches on the left side, as the canyon of the Krka River starts to spread out in the background. These arches are probably constituent parts of the main entrance (porticus principia) to the camp. The principia was the command building and administrative and religious centre of the Roman military camp, and it was located on the crossroads of the two most important streets in the camp, via principalis and via praetoria. The other locality represents the amphitheatre dating from the 1st century, i.e. from the period of Emperor Vespasian.

 

ARAUZONA

According to the finds and its position, some identify Velika Mrdakovica with Arauzona, a Liburnian settlement described by Plinius in his travelogues. This important Liburnian / Roman settlement with a necropolis was situated on one of the Roman roads connecting Iadera (Zadar) with Salona (Solin). The oldest layers date back to the 4th century BC and the more recent to the 3rd century BC, i.e. the era of the Roman rule, which testifies to the fact that this locality was continuously inhabited. The settlement was divided by streets and bounded with walls made of crushed stone. The most valuable characteristic of the locality is a large number of various painted-glass kitchenware, considered as the most valuable finds of its kind on the entire territory of the Roman Empire. The finds are today kept in Šibenik Town Museum.

DANILO

Danilo is a well-known archaeological site, where numerous remains from the Neolithic, Illyrian and Roman times were discovered, as well as the finds from more recent times. The history of Danilo started already in the Neolithic period, more than seven thousand years ago. The Danilo Culture is characterized by well-shaped and baked vessels, characteristically shaped pots, pans and plates. The vessel that in the most obvious way presents the culture is the rhyton, a decorated vessel with four legs and a big carrying handle. This special trademark of the Danilo Culture had a very important place inside the cult of the Neolithic man, especially during various rituals. The phallus that characterises one phase of the Neolithic times is also connected with the vessel and both objects may represent the fertility cult in the ritual.

BRIBIRSKA GLAVICA 

In the settlement of Bribir, 15 km from the town of Skradin, there is an attractive site named "Bribirska glavica", the centre of the Croatian State in the 13th century and a cultural monument of the highest category. The archaeological site "Bribirska glavica" (the Antique Varvaria and the Early Croatian Bribir) encloses the surface of about 72,000 m2 and it is situated 300 m above sea level. It is one of the most important archaeological sites in Croatia (known as "The Croatian Troy" among the archaeologists), where it is possible to follow the sequence of living from prehistory, Liburnian age, Early to Late Antiquity and Early Croatian to Early and Late Middle ages. St. Nicola Tavelić, the first Croatian saint, in 1375 joined the Franciscan order in St. Mary's Monastery at "Bribirska glavica".