Archaeological localities

The area around the Krka River includes many important archaeological sites, without which it would be impossible to know anything about the history of the area. Within the national park boundaries, there are about 20 archaeological sites from all periods.

Prehistorical sites were primarily hill forts, the best known of which is the hill fort at Puljani, which Pliny himself listed among the „fortresses famed for their battles“, and cave sites such as the one at the Oziđana pećina cave, where recent archaeological research discovered traces of human settlement.

Among sites dating back to the period of the Roman Empire, the Burnum military is certainly the most significant, with its recently discovered amphitheatre, a world class find. The remnants of the Burnum military camp are situated on the right bank of the Krka River, near where the village of Ivoševci stands today. It is possible to see the remnants of the arches that belonged to the building of the Pretoria (camp command) and the amphitheatre, where a great deal of archaeological material has been uncovered in recent studies.

Oziđana pećina cave

This prehistorical locality is situated near the very top of the canyon, above Roški slap, and many traces of human settlement have been found here (fragments of ceramic dishes, stone artefacts, human bones…).

Oziđana pećina cave is situated on the left bank of the Krka River, just above the Roški slap waterfall, near the very top of the canyon. Its interior is tunnel-shaped, 59 m long, about 7 m wide and 2.5 m high. During a reconnaissance study of the caves and pits in the Krka canyon in 1988, fragments of ceramic dishes bearing characteristics of the Hvar culture (early Neolithic age) were found in the cave, which was reason to conclude that this natural structure served humans as a living area. A further study in early 2005 revealed more ceramic fragments, this time belonging to the Danilo culture. This was interesting enough to organize comprehensive archaeological research in the cave, and the results were very interesting: a large number of various ceramic dishes were found, clearly outlining the presence of all the Neolithic cultures, and those of the Eneolithic age and early and middle Bronze Age, i.e. from about 5000 BC to about 1500 BC. Stone artefacts (knives), stone tools (hand-held millstones) and various animal bones were found.

The Burnum amphitheatre had four entrances. It took advantage of the natural terrain, in this case, the rocks of the funnel shaped depressions, which was exceptionally suitable for the builders. It is not known how many viewers could attend, but it is thought to be between six and ten thousand people. A monumental, lovely engraved plaque from 76/77 AD that stood on the façade above the southern entrance to the amphitheatre, clearly confirms that this was a donation from the Emperor Vespasian.

Burnum Roman military camp

Situated at the location of the present day village of Ivoševci. It was erected in the 1st century AD, and the remnants of arches of the military command building and a well preserved amphitheatre are still visible today.

The camp was erected at the turn of the new era, at a strategically important position for controlling passage across the river, and it marked the starting point of all military campaigns towards the inland regions, right up to the northern boundaries of the Roman state.

The XI Roman legion was stationed at this camp. As of 42 A.D., this legion carried the honourable title of Claudia pia fidelis. Later, it was replaced here by the IV Flavia Felix legion. Today, the remnants of the arches of the pretoria (camp command) building are still visible. Recent research has unearthed a large amphitheatre and an abundance of archaeological material that suggests that the camp was erected under the rule of the Emperor Claudius, and later expanded under the Emperor Vespasian. With the departure of the army, a town (municipium) was established here due to the favourable infrastructure already in place, and it played an important role in the area right up until late antiquity. The town had a large sanctuary, amphitheatre, aqueduct, cobbled roads and streets and other urban properties. Many fierce battles were waged along its city walls. At the end of the 5th century, during the period of the Gothic-Byzantine wars, the town was taken by the Ostragoths.
Burnumski amfiteatar tipološki pripada amfiteatrima s četiri ulaza. Djelomično je korištena prirodna situacija terena, u ovom slučaju stijena vrtače, što je bilo iznimno pogodno za graditelje. Još ne znamo koliko je mogao primiti gledatelja, ali pouzdano između 6 i 10 tisuća posjetitelja.  Pronađeni monumentalni, lijepo ispisan natpis iz 76./77. godine, koji je stajao na pročelju iznad južnog ulaza u amfiteatar, jasno potvrđuje donaciju cara Vespazijana.

The Burnum amphitheatre had four entrances. It took advantage of the natural terrain, in this case, the rocks of the funnel shaped depressions, which was exceptionally suitable for the builders. It is not known how many viewers could attend, but it is thought to be between six and ten thousand people. A monumental, lovely engraved plaque from 76/77 AD that stood on the façade above the southern entrance to the amphitheatre, clearly confirms that this was a donation from the Emperor Vespasian.

Archaeological collection Burnum

During an archaeological dig, many small artefacts were found: money, glass, pendants, chains, belt buckles, horse equipment, ceramics, bricks and other small items.

The most common coins found date back to the Late Republic period, up to the 1st century AD. Other coins, found in the higher layers, date to later periods, all the way to the early 4th century. This archaeological material is placed on display in the archaeological collection of the national park, at the Puljane Eco campus.

Summer archaeological school

The Public Institute of Krka National Park, in cooperation with the Municipal Museum of Drniš, the University of Bologna, and the Archaeology Department of the University of Zadar, has organised a summer archaeology school. The school is a part of the Burnum Project since 2007, with the aim of contributing to the archaeological investigations and conservation of the Roman military camp at Burnum.

The original intention of the archaeological school project was forcollege students and PhD candidates from Croatia and Italia to become acquainted with new techniques and methods of research and conservation, while the goal of joint investigation at the site was the location and excavation of structures within the military camp using so-called non-invasive investigative methods of research. The International Summer School „Seeing Beneath the Soil“ (sponsored by the Centro Studi per l’Archeologia dell’Adriatico, led by G. Sassatelli) places emphasis on the quality of the education of the student researchers to improve their professional abilities and prepare them for future employment in the archaeological profession. It also represents a chance to increase basic knowledge about technology and methods of investigation, so as to develop a common methodological vocabulary between the two shores of the Adriatic Sea.
Međunarodna ljetna škola „Seeing Beneath the Soil“ (pod pokroviteljstvom Centro Studi per l’Archeologia dell’Adriatico, koji vodi G. Sassatelli) naglasak stavlja na kvalitetu obrazovanja studenata istraživača u cilju njihovog profesionalnog usavršavanja i pripremanja za buduće zaposlenje u arheološkoj struci. Također, prilika je to za širenje osnovnih saznanja o tehnologiji i postupcima istraživanja, da bi se razvio zajednički metodološki jezik između dviju obala Jadrana.

Restoration workshop

The Krka National Park area abounds in archaeological localities.

Organised research is currently ongoing in the area of the Roman military camp Burnum, at the medieval fortresses of Ključica and Nečven and at the prehistoric localities of Oziđana pećina and Jazinka. The great number of diverse archaeological artefacts originating from these localities and the existing large ethnographic collection has raised the need for systematic and expert processing and protection. To that effect, in October 2008, the Public Institute of Krka National Park established its restoration workshop, equipped for the expert performance of conservation and restoration tasks. The workshop at Eco campus Krka in Puljane is being systematically equipped, and already now is considered one of the top workshops of its kind in Croatia. The equipment includes a microsander with chamber, ultrasound drill, alkaline baths, vaccuum dryers, microscopes and analytic equipment, including a potentiometric titrator and laboratory scales.

All works on artefacts are recorded in detail, using photographic equipment and are documented in the FileMaker Pro database. The primary activity of the workshop is the protection and processing of archaeological materials, for the purpose of their conservation, expert and scientific analysis, and display in the newly constructed museum collection of the Burnum Archaeological Collection. In the workshop, artefacts made of various materials are restored, from metals, ceramics and glass to bone. What they all share in common is fragility and sensitivity, considering that they have been removed from the soil, where they have laid for centuries. Each individual artefact is a unique witness to the past, and is therefore handled with great patience and care.
Primarna djelatnost radionice je zaštita i obrada arheološkog materijala s cilljem očuvanja, stručne i znanstvene obrade te izlaganje u novoizgrađenom muzejskom postavu Arheološke zbirke Burnum. U radionici se restauriraju predmeti od različitih materijala, od metala, keramike, stakla do kosti, a zajednička im je delikatnost i osjetljivost s obzirom na to da su izvađeni iz zemlje u kojoj su ležali stoljećima. Svaki je pojedini predmet jedinstven svjedok prošlosti pa mu se zato pristupa s posebnim strpljenjem.

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