History
A small Roman harbor has excavated in the North Adriatic Sea in Slovenia.
At the excavation site near the pier of the Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport of the University of Ljubljana, the final phase of the field research took place between November 2023 and February 2024.
Excavations at this location were conducted in multiple campaigns between 2017 and 2023. The 2023 excavations were of a smaller scale and confirmed the findings of previous years. Following their conclusion, the construction excavation of layers indicating minor archaeological potential began, accompanied by archaeological supervision during construction. This year’s excavations again took place in poor visibility.
Zavod za Podvodno Arheologijo – ZaPA
The intact roman layers at the site contained a larger quantity of ceramic fragments – according to current findings, mostly imported late antique vessels such as amphorae, coarseware, and sigillata. Additionally, elements of rigging, two exceptional discoveries of ship masts, and a larger number of wooden stakes were uncovered at the site.
Zavod za Podvodno Arheologijo – ZaPA
The existing discoveries, in the context of the exceptional sheltered location along the coast and other nearby sites, suggest that in late antiquity, there was a small harbor with mooring and wooden structures – either a breakwater or communication with the shore. The verification and evaluation of the mentioned hypothesis now follows – the post-fieldwork phase of the research, where various scientists and archaeologists will examine specific aspects of the site. Subsequently, the site will be evaluated in light of the results of all investigations.