engleski

Shepherds of a Coastal Range: Archaeological potential of the Velebit Mountain (Eastern Adriatic)

The limestone summits of Velebit, a long coastal range overlooking the Eastern Adriatic, reach the elevation of around 1700 meters just a few kilometers away from the shore. They define a sharp boundary between the contrasting environments of the maritime and the continental side of the mountain. Different environmental zones, stacked one above another along the steep slopes, enhance the variability of the landscape, making the area attractive for seasonal pastoralists. For a long time Velebit was neglacted by archaeologists. Rugged terrain, difficulty of access and a common notion that nothing was to be found in those remote mountains kept researchers away. Our preliminary fieldwork indicates, however, that herders were active in the area ever since farming was introduced around 6000 B.C. Common problems of recognizing the evidence of their ephemeral presence are compounded by intensive erosion which has obliterated or buried most of the open air sites in this heavily karstified landscape. The archaeological potential of Velebit is nevertheless great, for several reasons. Transhumant sheepherding has survived as the most important segment of economy into the modern times, providing the possibility of ethnoarchaeological research. Rich archival records, containing legal documents regulating access to pasture and water rights, extend from the relatively recent Austro-Hungarian times back to the era of Roman imperial administration. Finally, thick stratigraphic sequences in karstic caves provide the opportunity to explore the long-term change in herding practices since the time of the first Neolithic farmers.

herding; seasonality; prehistory; ethnoarchaeology; Adriatic

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