Dalmatic culture in the iron age

Abstract

This work deals with Dalmatic culture in the Iron Age. It refers to the Illyrian people settled in the middle part of the east Adriatic coast, between Krka and Neretva, Adriatic sea and Dinaric mountains, on the region of Central Dalmatia, North-West Hercegovina and South-West Bosnia. After general remarks the author informs us about the settlements, burials, ceramics, about the evolution of the cultural phases and at the end he points out the main characteristics and enclosed the basic literature. The culture in that region has a peculiar characteristic and it differs from the neighbouring cultures, even from the Late Bronze Age. More than one ethnical group was mentioned in that area and the leading group was (hat oif the Dalmata. During the period of the Iron Age they united all other groups and tribes under that name. The most important, localities are: Otok (Sinj), Gorica (Ljubuški), Vir (Posušje), Blato (Korčula), Hvar, Žaganj Dolac and Viča Luka (Brač), Vis, Otišić, Danilo, FrimoSten, Petrovići, Crvenice, Gradina (Korita), Krehin Gradac etc. A specific type of settlement was located on the naturally protected and elevated places, fortified by dry walls. About 400 settlements are known to us such as those mentioned above and there also must have been even more than 700-800, and about 340 settlements (castella), which were mentioned by Rlinius. There were 50 important centres (oppida), communities, (civitates), and the others served as refuges, places for reconnaissance, cults etc. A great number of those settlements preserved their ancient name tike Solin (Salona), Vis (Issa) etc. The houses wer« right-angled with dry wals or made of wood in the background. Pile-dwelling settlements were discovered in the valley of Cetina (Otok and some other)! and also some caves were inhabited occasionally. The dead were buried in collective necropolises usually on plain ground near the settlement or in stony tumuluses 3-45 rn vide and 0.5-7 nt high, located at some distance from the settlement and the dead were usually in contracted position. An extended position was rarely used from the 6tn century. It was used in the 4lh century under the Helenistic influence. They also added ceramics, weapons and tools w hi lie jewelry and folk costumes were dominant in the early period. Local ceramics was rough, rarely ornamented by grooves, engravings, pricklings and geometrical motives. It was mostly formed in an early tradition. The following ceramics were imported: South-Italic (gnathia type), Campanian and Helenistic .someGreek ceramics from the 711' century, Etruscan and that of »Alto Adriatico«, Apulic ceramics with the geometrical ornaments on it was quite rare and it was found in 7 localities only. Gnathia and Helenistic ceramics were imitated in Issa and Pharos (Hvar), The Iron Age went through 3 periods and 5 phases after the Balkan-Pa- nonic Or Aegean migration, from the 9th to the 1st century: 1. Libumian domination on the Adriatic coast or I and II phase, from the 9th to the 7th century. 2. Liburnian, Greek and the influence of Glasinac or III and IV phase, from the 6th and the 5th century. 3. Period of Helenistic and Roman influence or V phase, from the 4th to the 1st century till the Roman domination. Dalmatic culture developed under the Liburnian influence from the 9tB Io the 7'h century They colonized the Adriatic coast and rarely contacted the continental part of the Balkan. Greek expansion on the Adriatic coast which dates from the 7lh to the 4'h century, conditioned a gradual decline of the Libumians and the importation of the Greek goods especially those from the 4th century when the Helenistic influence was strong. A culture from east Bosnian (Glasinac) penetrated through the valley of Neretva on the south part of Dalmatic region, especially in the 6th and the 5th century as also some elements from the middle part of Bosnia. The greatest changes and the decline of the local culture provoked the Romans during their intrusion in the Balkan in the 2nd and the 1st century anti their copquest at the end ol1 the 1"L century B, C. interrupted an autonomous developed of that region. In spite of a modest authonous development and a strong foreign influence during the Iron Age, Dalmatic culture kept its local specific qualities, although less than their neighbours, Liburnians or some other culture