Archaeological discovery opens window to Illyrians

08/01/2009

The discovery of an Illyrian trading post gives insight into the ancient peoples of the Balkan Peninsula.

(Various sources)

Archaeologists found many artefacts, including more than 30 Illyrian boats fully laden with Roman amphorae. [University of Mostar]

After several weeks of intense digging, an archaeological team from the University of Oslo reported a find last month that could change the written history of Illyrians for a period of their existence.

An Illyrian trading post in the border area between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) throws light on an unknown aspect of the life of these ancient people of the Balkan Peninsula.

The head of the archaeological team who discovered the traces of the trading post was Associate Professor Marina Prusac. "Our discovery is important for understanding cultural identities in the Balkans in ancient times," she said.

The discovery -- the first of its kind -- consists of the ruins of a settlement and the remains of a harbour that probably functioned as a trading post. Archaeologists found many sunken boats fully laden with wine pitchers, or amphorae, which date to the 1st century BC. The many pieces of pottery found indicate this was a major trading post.

Desilo, where the team did its excavations, is 20km from the coast on an alluvial plain by the Neretva River. "Desilo is situated at the innermost point of a quiet bay where it was natural to transfer goods to smaller boats, so the place is perfect for an inner trading harbour. We knew that if we found a harbour it would represent a rare example of a meeting point in this impenetrable landscape," Prusac told ScienceDaily.

The Illyrians were Indo-European tribesmen who appeared in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula about 1,000 BC -- a period that coincides with the end of the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron Age. They inhabited much of the area for the next millennium.

At its height, ancient Illyria encompassed the Adriatic coastline and mountainous interior of the western Balkans -- today's Albania, Slovenia, Dalmatia, Croatia, BiH, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia -- including, at one point, the region of Molossa (Epirus) in northwest Greece.

The Illyrians fell to Roman conquest during the 1st century BC. Illyrian territories later became provinces of the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire.

The Norwegian team's discovery and its interpretation highlight the ancient trade connections between Romans and Illyrians and show the Illyrians were not only warriors and pirates, as described by some historians, but also a people developing their economy and trade.

With the dating of the amphorae, scientists found indications the boats sank over a nearly century-long span -- demonstrating they were not pirate vessels attacked by Romans.

Archaeologist Adam Lindhagen, who specialises in Roman amphorae and who took part in the expedition, says this is the most important find thus far from the Illyrian era.