Archaeological Exploration of the Mala Luka and Baška Sites on the Island of Krk in 2007

Izvedena su manja sondažna istraživanja na području Arheološke zone Korintija, Bosar-Sokol na predjelu Male luke te je rekognoscirano područje zone i okolnih padina. Sonda je pokazala stanje slojeva na području celle trichore. Ispod recentnog nanosa crvenice nalazi se kulturni sloj kasne antike od 30-ak cm. Otkriven je kasnoantički grob bez nalaza vezanih za pokojnika. Rekognosciranje Male luke rezultiralo je nizom novih saznanja o naselju kasne antike. Kulturni sloj na obalnom dijelu kreće se od 5 do 35 cm, zavisno od kosine obale i djelovanja erozije. Na istočnoj obali Male luke otkriveni su ostaci staklarske radionice i vjerojatno još jednoga sakralnog objekta na području koje se naziva Kloštar. Rekognosciranje područja Baške potvrdilo je postojanje prethistorijske gradine na brdu Zakam. U župnoj crkvi su potvrđeni kasnoantički kapiteli poznati od Fučića.The site is already known in literature from reconnaissance and architectural recording of key buildings of this large complex (fortification, church buildings), but this was the first time that in archaeological explorations conducted at the site modern excavation technique was applied. Using these results, efforts focused on ascertaining the thickness of the archaeological layer at different parts of the site. Trial trench I next to the cella trichora indicates the existence of an archaeological layer approx. 25 cm thick, as well as graves which lie at a depth of approximately 100 cm from present-day surface. The survey of the coastal part of Mala luka displayed a thickness of the archaeological layer between 5 and 35 cm. This difference can be explained by the difference in the intensity of soil erosion. It was concluded that in future explorations a thickness of 35 cm for the archaeological layer can be expected. The finds in Trial trench I point to the erection of cella trichora in the sixth century because the pottery and glass can be attributed precisely to that period. A grave without burialrelated finds is also characteristic of the sixth century. Reconnaissance yielded numerous new data not just about the site but the history of Croatia as well. The discovery of a glass workshop is the first of its kind in Croatia, but also one of the very few such shops in the wider area dating to Late Antiquity, i.e. the sixth century. The analysis of glass raw materials and glasswares can provide more detailed information about their origin, and this, in turn, may show the links between Korintija and other parts of the Empire. The finds of slag point to a local metalware workshop. The discovery of imported stones on the eastern coast suggest the existence of another sacral building which can be tied to the wall by lesenes at the so-called Kloštar, mentioned by Sorić. Reconnaissance of a broader area of the Korintija Bosar-Sokol archaeological zone defined some open questions. The stacked stonewall structure at Kalun is not a hillfort, because it is situated in a depression and has no pottery items. The toponym Stara lokva (old pond) indicates its true function. The tips of the Sokol Peninsula have no visible archaeological remains. There was no success in finding the grotto mentioned by Sorić. On the Bosar Isthmus, walls with mortar were found. Their dating still remains to be determined. In Baška two more capitals were recorded over and above those described by Fučić. Marble and high-quality workmanship points to the existence of luxury buildings in the Baška region. The analysis of aerial shots leads to the assumption of the existence of a prehistoric structure on Zakam peak, which was confirmed by reconnaissance. This research has enriched our knowledge of the Korintija Bosar-Sokol archaeological zone and placed it among the sites of national importance