Burial Typology at the "Vrt Relja" Necropolis in Zadar

Abstract

Four hundred and six graves from different periods dating from the Iron Age to the Late Middle Ages have been unearthed in the excavations of the archaeological site of Vrt Relja from January 2005 to June 2006. Differences in mortuary practices implied typological analysis of burials that is presented in this paper. Graves were analyzed typologically and statistically with an intention of attesting long-term burying in this part of the necropolis. Typology enables better understanding of dating of burials, and at the same time some new questions were posed while the paper was written related to abandoning grave area at the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and returning to the same place in the High and Late Middle Ages.