Pre-Romanesque stone plastic from Crkvina in Galovac near Zadar

Abstract

In this work the author deals with the pre-Romanesque stone plastic findings and sculptures unearthed during years of systematic investigations at the site of Crkvina in Galovac. As several hundreds of fragments of pre-Romanesque plastic have been discovered at this complex archaeological site the author considers this Old Croatian stone plastic site to be amongst the most significant ones for the study of pre-Romanesque art in Dalmatia. This stone material is divided into two chronological phases: initial phase (dated in the second half of the 8lh cent.) and mature phase (9th cent.) Church stone furniture represents the majority of this archaeological material, while the minority is represented by the functional and decorative parts of the architecture. In this paper of all the church furniture, parts of the two septums have been scientifically evaluated, the one with the hemispherical gable being put to the initial phase of the pre-Romanesque art (second half of the 8th cent.), the other with the triangular gable to the mature pre-Romanesque time (9th cent.) Stone fragments considered to be the parts of the pulpit are dated in the 9th cent. too. Two pre-Romanesque ciboriums (six-sided and four-sided) having been published earlier, are concisely commented by the author and put into the 9lh cent, as well, the altar found beneath the six-sided ciborium and the pulpit found beneath the four-sided one. Of the constructive and decorative parts of the architecture, dated in the 9th cent, the author has worked on and commented the door-posts, decorative furnishings above the door, biforas and stone bars and numerous stone fragments of the undetermined purposes. According to already published and evaluated material from Crkvina in Galovac, and to the recently presented and scientifically worked on items from this work the pre-Romanesque stone plastic material and sculptures represent a valuable archaeological material. Its typological and functional features besides decorative and stylistic characteristics enable us to better understand the usage of these church furniture and give us opportunity to know the original stone art heritage. The author however believes this material to be of the great importance for any further scientific contribution to the study of pre-Romanesque art in Dalmatia.