Bronze Age Hillforts in Istria

Gradine su prapovijesna utvrđena naselja koja su nastala na dominantnim najčešće uzvišenim i prirodno zaštićenim položajima. Počeci gradina vežu se uz drugu fazu brončanog doba Istre odnosno Bd A2-B1 dok većina nastaje u srednjem brončanom dobu odnosno Bd B2-C. Prvi istaknutiji istraživači brončanodobnih gradina Istre bili su P. Kandler i C. Marchesetti koji objavljuju rezultate prvih istraživanja. Od istaknutijih istraživača treba i izdvojiti Borisa Baćića, Antona Vitasovića, Klaru Buršić-Matijašić, Kristinu Mihovilić. Najveća gustoća gradina nalazi se uz istarsku obalu gdje se ističe prostor oko Rovinja koji broji 20 brončanodobnih gradina, dok je unutrašnjost rijeđe naseljena.Hillforts are prehistorical fortified settlements that were situated on dominant, most often on elevated and naturally protected positions. Beginings of the hillforts are connected with second stage of Bronze Age in Istria, i.e. Bd A2-B1, while most of them are formed in middle Bronze Age, i.e. Bd B2-C. The first prominent researchers of Bronze Age hillforts in Istria were P. Kandler and C. Marchesetti who published first results from their research. Among prominent researchers we should single out Boris Baćić, Anton Vitasović, Klara Buršić-Matijašić, Kristina Mihovilić. Biggest density of hillforts is located along side Istrian shore where area around Rovinj stands out with 20 Bronze Age hillforts, while inland part of Istria is scarcley populated