Ilok – Castle of the Dukes of Ilok, St. Peter the Apostle Church, Tower 8 and Bulwarks. Results of Rescue Excavtions in 2007

Zaštitna arheološko-konzervatorska istraživanja Dvora knezova Iločkih (dvorac Odescalchi) u 2007. godini, koja provodi Institut za arheologiju pod vodstvom prof. dr. sc. Željka Tomičića, bila su usmjerena na zapadno dvorište palasa Iločkih, zatim zapadni dio bedema s kulom i bastionom, sjeverni bastion, na južnu polovicu ulazne veže koja se nalazi u istočnom obodnom zidu palasa te na istočno pročelje i objekte ispred njega. Tijekom svih faza istraživanja na tom su prostoru definirani mlađi i stariji arheološki slojevi koji pokazuju kontinuitet naseljavanja, čiji počeci sežu do starčevačke kulture. Najveći broj dokumentiranih arheoloških cjelina pripada razdoblju izgradnje i života palasa Iločkih iz druge polovice 15. i početka 16. st. Zapadno uz palas otkriveni su ostaci arhitekture iz razdoblja koje je prethodilo izgradnji palasa. Antičkom razdoblju pripadaju nalazi jama, kanala i ukopi temelja objekata koji su pokretnom građom datirani od sredine 3. do kraja 4. st. Od prapovijesnih razdoblja u najvećem su broju izdvojeni tragovi naselja iz rane faze starijeg željeznog doba, koje se pripisuje Kalakača fazi bosutske grupe. Izniman je nalaz paljevinskog groba kostolačke kulture te jarka koji pripada starčevačkoj kulturi. Radovi na crkvi Sv. Petra apostola trajali su paralelno s radovima na Dvoru knezova Iločkih. Tijekom radova otkriven je sjeverni zid crkve s kontraforima, zvonik na zapadnom ulazu u crkvu, te unutrašnjost s djelomično očuvanim gotičkim podom od opeka i sjevernim redom od ukupno šest stupova. Radi se o trobrodnoj crkvi s kontraforima i zvonikom na pročelju. Uz crkvu pronađeno je groblje iz istog vremena, ali i grobovi stariji od nje, presječeni kontraforima. Istraženi su grobovi sjeverno od crkve, između kontrafora, a unutar crkve istražen je jedan grob. Grobovi i unutrašnjost crkve poremećeni su brojnim ukopima iz otomanskog doba. Istražen je dio ukopa vinkovačke kulture koji je presječen srednjovjekovnim ukopom. Od pokretne građe ističe se kamena plastika koja je pripadala gotičkoj crkvi iz 15. st., a radi se o kamenim profiliranim ulomcima prozora i svodnih rebara. Paralelno s istraživanjima Dvora knezova Iločkih i crkve Sv. Petra trajali su radovi na prostoru kule 8, te na sjevernom i zapadnom dijelu bedema.Archaeological rescue excavations of the Castle of the Dukes of Ilok (the Odescalchi Palace) conducted in 2007 by the Institute of Archaeology under the guidance of Professor Željko Tomičić, Ph.D. focused on the area between the Castle of the Dukes of Ilok and the north-western defensive compound consisting of the western and northern bastion and the north-western bastion/tower. The excavations commenced in Autumn 2006 with the unearthing of more recent layers. This area was divided by a wall which separated the northern bastion from the western courtyard. The goal was definition of western tower and part of the bulwark above the Odescalchi wine cellars at the outer side of the western bulwark. The southern half of the entryway was also examined. The examined area connects to the previously examined areas and covers a total of 892 m2. The depth of the excavations depended on recorded structures and layers - in the areas of the western courtyard of the Castle, its northern bastion and entryway, the excavations went all the way to the loess. Traces of habitation during Antiquity were documented, when the Roman settlement of Cuccium (Jelinčić 2003) was situated at the location of the modern town of Ilok. From the mid-third century forward, this settlement spread eastward along the periphery of the loess plateau, with the most intense traces of habitation dating to fourth century. Research also confirmed continuous traces of prehistoric settlements, from the Early and Late Iron Age (Ložnjak 2002), through all the phases of the Bronze Age and the Late Copper Age all the way to the Starčevo culture. In the area of the western courtyard no remains of prehistoric layers were found, while large number of pits was damaged by subsequent structures and burials. A significant portion of the pottery finds, mostly in secondary context, belongs to the Earley Iron Age and the Bosut III a-c phases. Pottery fragments decorated in Basarabi style can be singled out. Most intensive habitation, according to pottery finds, is documented in the early phase of the Earley Iron Age, a period in which the Kalakača phase settlement belonging to the Bosut group could be found on Ilok’s Upper Town Plateau. For the first time closed context Copper Age finds were excavated. The excavations of the western courtyard yielded the find of a Kostolac-type incineration grave with a pot serving as cover and a bowl decorated by richly incrusted ornaments. The oldest traces of habitation can be attributed to the Early Neolithic Starčevo culture to which the remains of a 3.21 m wide ditch belong. M. D. and S. K. During explorations of the eastern façade of the Palace of the Odescalchi Princes, structures and layers were documented that were linked to the baroque renovations commissioned by the Odescalchi family (limekilns and sewer), Ottoman rule, the Late Middle Ages, Classical Antiquity and prehistoric periods. In front of the entrance to the castle, the foundations of a structure were discovered which could represent the entry building of the Castle of the Dukes of Ilok. South of this building, a ditch was unearthed that ran north-west to south-east alongside the eastern façade of the castle’s eastern wing. The ditch belongs to the phase preceding construction of the walls of the entry building. From the southern corner of the palace towards tower 8 there is a wall, 1.66 m wide, significantly damaged, which corresponds to the inner defensive bulwark of the Castle of the Dukes of Ilok. G. M. and K. T. The paper presents the results of research at the site Ilok–St. Peter the Apostle Church, conducted in 2007. The north-western part of the triple-nave Gothic church was explored, allowing definition of the length of the building and its key features. Next to the medieval church, pitts and layers were found from the era of Ottoman rule, with a multitude of interesting finds. Alongside the church, a medieval cemetery was explored, dated to the period of the Gothic church (fifteenth century), although some medieval graves older than the church were found. There was also a prehistoric pit belonging to the Vinkovci culture. K. J. Tower 8, situated south-east of the Castle of the Dukes of Ilok, alongside the Turkish baths, was investigated to a depth of 127.26 m. It proved to be a rectangular semi-tower situated on the right side of the road leading to the eastern part of the Upper Town. Z. M. and K. B. Test excavations along the western wall revealed 85 cm wide foundations linked to the southern bastion and built of brick. At the place where the stone construction begins, another foundation branches off in a north-west direction. The wall is set into the prehistoric layer. K. M. East of the Castle of the Dukes of Ilok, on the northern rim of the plateau, a stretch of the bulwark at a length of 15 m was examined. The remains of bulwark approximately 1.5 m wide were defined, built of brick bound with mortar, as well as parts of the walls of buildings 20 to 25 cm wide, also made of brick, extending perpendicularly to the bulwark in the north-south direction. Part of the bulwark closer to the presentday buildings alongside the Odescalchi Palace cannot be defined due to devastation. K. B