Naslov
Excavations at Cape Ploča near Šibenik

Autori
Bilić-Dujmušić, Siniša

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Poglavlja u knjigama, znanstveni

Knjiga
I Greci in Adriatico, 2. Hesperia: Studi sulla grecita di Occidente (18)

Urednik/ci
Braccesi, Lorenzo ; Luni, Mario

Izdavač
L'Erma di Bretschneider

Grad
Rim

Godina
2004

Raspon stranica
123-140

ISBN
88-8265-008-1

Ključne riječi
Adriatic Hellenism, sanctuary, Diomedes, graffiti, navigation

Sažetak
The excavations on the Cape Ploča near Rogoznica (Šibenik), Croatia, from 1996 to 1998, brought to light the remains of small Greek sanctuary of the Hellenistic period. The cape has been connected with the promunturium Diomedis, a place mentioned by Elder Pliny, Nat. hist. 3, 141, by the historian Ivan Lučić Lucius in the 17th century. The cape has a small plateau at its end, exposed to the winds and the salt, lacking any vegetation. Under the stones of the surface ther is a layer of gravel containing great quantity of rather small pieces of pottery, together with some amorphous pieces of iron and bronze, some gems, iron and bronze rings and some coins. Because of erosion it was possible to trace only partially preserved foundations of the drystone wall od the sanctuary enclosure (ca 10 x 4 metres. In the western part of the small plateau there are remains of the ancient layer containing numerous fragments of pottery ; the richest deposit with pottery and other cultural remains was found immediately beneath the plateau. About 500 fragments of the Hellenistic pottery bear traces of graffiti. Several votive inscriptions are faitrly preserved, confirming the cult of the hero and later god Diomedes (e.g. Diomedi doron). The small cups, rings and gems, and coins, and possibly other items, were part of ritual offerings. According to the preliminary analysis of pottery, it belongs almost entirely to the period from the last decades of the 4th to the late 1st cent. BC. The coins belong to various Mediterranean centres and states, such as Ptolemaic Cyprus, Greek Argos, Achaea, Leukas, as well as North African Carthage and Numidia (Massinissa), and to the Roman Republic. It is probable that the sanctuary had been founded by the Greek Isseans in the late 4th century, on the point that was dangerous for navigation bay nature - the cape Ploča had bad reputation during the Middle Age and later ; in the same time the sea off the Cape was some kind of difficult passage between the area controlled by the Greek Isseans in the Central Dalmatia, and the Liburnians controlling the sea to the north west, from Šibenik almost to the shores of Istria. The sanctuary lost its prominence soon after the definitive Roman conquest of the Illyricum under Augustus. It is interesting to note the traces of Late Antiquity on the spot, as well as the holy legend of St John, bishop of Trogir (the 11th-12th cent.), who produced one of his miracles on the Cape, saving the crew, the boat and its cargo from the storm. The cult of the Saint was enhanced in the 14th cent. when two nobles from Trogir built a small church on the Cape.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Arheologija

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