March-April 2025.

Final Phase of Pottery Processing from Donja Cerovačka Cave

The Institute of Archaeology is proud to announce that the final phase of pottery processing from Donja Cerovačka Cave is currently underway. This complex research process has been ongoing for three years, and thanks to the generosity of the Velebit Nature Park, the processing is being carried out at the Cerovačka Caves Center of Excellence in Grab (Gračac).
The work is being conducted as part of the Croatian Science Foundation project Technological Features and Cultural Practices in Prehistoric Pottery Traditions in Croatia (UIP-2020-02-3637). More information about the project is available on the official website.
Nearly four tons of ceramic vessel fragments are undergoing thorough processing, including fragment reconstruction and detailed analysis of manufacturing traces and use-wear patterns. Diagnostic fragments are being drawn and photographed, while selected samples are prepared for organic residue analysis and technological studies of pottery production.
These investigations are essential for understanding prehistoric pottery traditions and, more specifically, for interpreting the function and purpose of the cave, particularly during the Late Bronze Age.
A special thank you to the project research team members for their dedication and hard work in this challenging yet highly significant research endeavor!

 

From 3 to 17 October 2022 archaeological excavations of the Znojilo hillfort were carried out in collaboration with the Museum of the Town of Kaštela. Field sampling of clay material was carried out in the vicinity of the archaeological sites Znojilo and Biranj.

 

From 2 to 6 May 2022. –  field sampling of clay material was carried out in the area of Rakalj in Istria, near the archaeological sites Stari Rakalj, Šiljar, and Sv. Theodore. On the same occasion, samples of archaeological ceramics were taken from the same sites at the Croatian Conservation Institute in Juršići.

 

April 2022 – the processing of archaeological ceramics from Kalnik-Igrišče continued.

 

April 2022 - cooperation established with the Archaeological Museum in Split and the curator of the prehistoric collection. Members of the research group participated in the processing of archaeological ceramics from the Dugiš site.

 

November 2021 - in November, the processing of pottery finds from the Lower Cerovac Cave began.

 

 

November 4th 2021 - field sampling of clay material was carried out in the area of Turopolje and in the immediate vicinity of the archaeological site Staro Čiče Gradišče.

 

October 2021 - the processing of archaeological ceramics from Kalnik-Igrišče continued

 

27 - 29 September 2021 – field sampling of clay material was carried out in the area of Baranja and in the immediate vicinity of the archaeological site Jagodnjak-Krčevine.

 

July 2021 –  in the Museum of the City of Trogir, a preliminary processing and sampling of Bronze Age pottery from archaeological sites in Trogir and its surroundings have been carried out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 2021 April and May, processing of archeological ceramics from Kalnik-Igrišče site (City Museum Križevci and Kalnik)

 

 

During March 2021, the processing of archaeological ceramics from the Podravina area was carried out  (Institute of Archaeology, Zagreb).