Submerged Neolithic site in Soline (Korčula)

Abstract

The site of Soline is located about 2.5 kilometers southeast of the town of Korčula. The excavations of 2021 clearly defined the segment of the seawall that surrounds the entire site in the form of a heptagon. A clearly defined seawall forms the border of the Neolithic settlement towards the sea, therefore this year's campaign was focused on investigating the inner part of the settlement. The investigated area showed a significantly different structure compared to other parts of the site. The deposited layer consists mostly of silt and wood branches, splinters, and pieces of coal. A concentration of plant fibers similar to hay was observed in some places. On several levels, one can see the collapse of flat stone from the surrounding constructions. Inside the layer there was also a large amount of ceramic forms whose decorations indicate the time of the Late Neolithic Hvar culture. There were also flint blades and flint arrowheads, and finely worked bone tools. Bioarchaeological material comprised animal bones, numerous almond shells, and only three olive pits.