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Decisions on Designation of Properties as National Monuments

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60th session - Decisions

Prehistoric hillfort known as Velika gradina in Vidoši, the archaeological site

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Status of monument -> National monument

Published in the “Official Gazette of BiH” no. 32/09.

Pursuant to Article V para. 4 Annex 8 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Article 39 para. 1 of the Rules of Procedure of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments, at a session held from 20 to 26 January 2009 the Commission adopted a

 

D E C I S I O N

 

I

 

The archaeological site of the prehistoric hillfort known as Velika gradina in Vidoši is hereby designated as a National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereinafter: the National Monument). 

The National Monument is located on a site designated as part of cadastral plot no. 301/51, Land Register entry no. 17, and part of c.p. no. 301/1 (within a radius of 100 metres from the boundary of the area of the hillfort), Land Register entry no. 17, cadastral municipality Smričani, Municipality Livno, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The provisions relating to protection measures set forth by the Law on the Implementation of the Decisions of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments, established pursuant to Annex 8 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Official Gazette of the Federation of BiH nos. 2/02, 27/02, 6/04 and 51/07) shall apply to the National Monument.

 

II

 

The Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereinafter: the Government of the Federation) shall be responsible for providing the legal, scientific, technical, administrative and financial measures necessary for the protection, conservation and presentation of the National Monument.

The Commission to Preserve National Monuments (hereinafter: the Commission) shall determine the technical requirements and secure the funds for preparing and erecting signboards with basic details of the monument and the Decision to proclaim the property a National Monument.

 

III

 

To ensure the on-going protection of the National Monument on the site defined in Clause 1 para. 2 of this Decision, the following protection measures are hereby stipulated:

-          all works are prohibited other than conservation and restoration works, including those designed to display the monument, with the approval of the Federal Ministry responsible for regional planning and under the expert supervision of the heritage protection authority of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina,

-          the dumping of waste is prohibited,

-          the zone is a potential archaeological site, and consequently any works that could in any way have the effect of altering the site or endangering the monument are prohibited except under the supervision of the heritage protection authority and in the presence of an archaeologist,

-          the site of the monument shall be cleared, shall be open and accessible to the public, and may be used for educational and cultural purposes.

 

IV

 

All executive and area development planning acts not in accordance with the provisions of this Decision are hereby revoked.

 

V

 

Everyone, and in particular the competent authorities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Canton, and urban and municipal authorities, shall refrain from any action that might damage the National Monument or jeopardize the preservation thereof.

 

VI

 

The Government of the Federation, the Federal Ministry responsible for regional planning, the Federation heritage protection authority, and the Municipal Authorities in charge of urban planning and land registry affairs, shall be notified of this Decision in order to carry out the measures stipulated in Articles II to V of this Decision, and the Authorized Municipal Court shall be notified for the purposes of registration in the Land Register.

 

VII

 

The elucidation and accompanying documentation form an integral part of this Decision, which may be viewed by interested parties on the premises or by accessing the website of the Commission (http://www.aneks8komisija.com.ba) 

 

VIII

 

Pursuant to Art. V para 4 Annex 8 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, decisions of the Commission are final.

 

IX

 

This Decision shall enter into force the date after its publication in the Official Gazette of BiH.

 

This Decision has been adopted by the following members of the Commission: Zeynep Ahunbay, Martin Cherry, Amra Hadžimuhamedović, Dubravko Lovrenović, and Ljiljana Ševo,

 

No: 05.1-02-40/09-4

21 January 2009

Sarajevo

 

Chair of the Commission

Dubravko Lovrenović

 

E l u c i d a t i o n

 

I – INTRODUCTION

Pursuant to Article 2, paragraph 1 of the Law on the Implementation of the Decisions of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments, established pursuant to Annex 8 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a “National Monument” is an item of public property proclaimed by the Commission to Preserve National Monuments to be a National Monument pursuant to Articles V and VI of Annex 8 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and property entered on the Provisional List of National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Official Gazette of  BiH no. 33/02) until the Commission reaches a final decision on its status, as to which there is no time limit and regardless of whether a petition for the property in question has been submitted or not.

On 18 June 2008 the Franciscan Museum and Gallery of Gorica-Livno (FMGG-Livno) submitted to the Commission a proposal/petition to designate the archaeological site of Velika gradina in Vidoši, Livno Municipality, as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Pursuant to the provisions of the law, the Commission proceeded to carry out the procedure for reaching a final decision to designate the Property as a National Monument, pursuant to Article V para. 4 of Annex 8 and Article 35 of the Rules of Procedure of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments.

 

II – PROCEDURE PRIOR TO DECISION

In the procedure preceding the adoption of a final decision to proclaim the property a national monument, the following documentation was inspected:

-          Documentation on the location and the current owner and user of the property (copy of cadastral plan and Land Register entry);

-          Details of the current condition and use of the property, including a description and photographs, data of war damage, data on restoration or other works on the property, etc;

-          Historical, architectural and other documentary material on the property, as set out in the bibliography forming part of this Decision.

 

The findings based on the review of the above documentation and the condition of the site are as follows:

 

1. Details of the property

Location

The hillfort in Vidoši lies on the slopes of a spur to the north of level 832, at an altitude of 847 m above sea level, at longitude 43°46.560', latitude 17°01.803', above the north-eastern edge of the village. It is known in the village of Vidoši and its surroundings by the topographical name of Velika gradina, meaning Large Hillfort (Benac, 1983 , 94).

The National Monument is located on a site designated as part of cadastral plot no. 301/51, Land Register entry no. 17, and part of c.p. no. 301/1 (within a radius of 100 metres from the boundary of the area of the hillfort), Land Register entry no. 17, cadastral municipality Smričani, Municipality Livno, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Historical information

Ever since ancient times the fertile Livno plain has favoured the development of agriculture and animal husbandry. It is surrounded by about forty Illyrian hillforts, all well defended and within the line of sight of other forts, which could be used as places of refuge in times of danger (D. Periša, 1994, 19, 24).

            There are several examples of extensive hillfort settlements in the Livno plain. The hillfort in Vašarovine has all the elements of a large, differentiated agglomeration; three fortifications, a settlement and a necropolis at its foot. This was indubitably one of the most important settlements in the Livno plain.  Other extensive hillforts in this area are those in Vidoši, Begovač, Veliki and Mali Kablići, Grkovci, Prisoje, Korita and so on (Govedarica, 1983, 58).

            Since the Late Copper and Early Bronze Ages, when the Cetina culture(1) emerged in these parts, the Livno region has had an unbroken connection with the nearby Delmatae (Dalmatian) area. (A. Milošević, 1999, 7).

The Cetina culture had a considerable influence on the cultural development of the Illyrian tribes, and in its later stages, particularly in the early Iron Age, left its mark on the formation of the Delmatae community in this area.

The Livno and neighbouring plains of south-western Bosnia and Dalmatia formed the heartlands of the Delmatae, whence cultural and economic influences spread to parts of central Dalmatia. The Greek historian Polybius (c. 200-130 BCE) provided the first written record of the Delmatae, who gained strength in the first half of the 2nd century and attacked the people of Issa and the towns of Tragurion (Trogir) and Epetion (Stobreč), as well as threatening the neighbouring Daorsi, demanding tribute from them in grain and livestock (M. Zaninović, 1994, 46 ).

Following the revolt of the Delmatae under Baton (6-9 CE), and their defeat, the process of Romanization began. The Livno plain had always been of great importance as a link between the interior and the Adriatic and Mediterranean hinterland. Roman roads are striking evidence of the process of Romanization.

The Roman waystation of Pelva (Lištani) on the road between Aequum (Čitluk near Sinj) and Salvium (Vrbo, the Glamoč plain) in Lištani and Bariduum, probably where the town of Livno now stands, was one of the links between these areas. The road leading from Lištani over a distance of 4 km to Strupnići below Golija was accompanied by minor local roads between the various settlements. The main Roman road across the Livno plain linked Salon and Servitium (Bosanska Gradiška).

While retaining their Delmatian names, as evidenced by inscriptions and epitaphs on tombstones, the population adopted the practice of incineration(2), using urns shaped like houses or temples, only to reintroduce inhumation(3) from the mid 2nd century on. There is extensive material evidence dating from the time of Roman domination, much of which is housed in the Gorica Franciscan Museum and Gallery in Livno.

The late antique period and the turbulent times of migrations by the Huns, Goths and other peoples, forced the inhabitants of the plain to seek refuge in hillforts such as Gradina at the source of the Bastašica, Grac in Potočani, Tabija and Podgradina, and Gradina in Grkovci.

Systematic investigations of the Lištani–Podvornice site have helped considerably in shedding light on the late antique period, since most of the sites known so far in the Livno area have yet to be studied (possible sites include Bastasi, Podgradina, Suhača, Donji Rujani and Lištani ), with the exception of the Podgradina-Rešetarica site and St John's in Livno (Petrinec,1999, 30).

The pottery that was found suggests that the hillfort in Vidoši cannot date from before the 5th century BCE, but it should also be noted that typologically it continued in use for a very long time, into the Roman period. Pottery is therefore of little use in accurate dating for the last four centuries BCE.  Comparisons with other hillforts in the Livno, Duvno and Glamoč plains suggest that Velika gradina in Vidoši was originally built in the 4th century BCE, when it consisted of the central fortifications. The lateral fortification, B, was built when it became necessary to reinforce the central fortifications. The whole area came under great threat in the 2nd century BCE, when Rome began to launch campaigns of conquest against the Balkans, and the interests of Rome and the allied Delmatae tribes clashed; it was probably then that the hillfort was enlarged and the outer sections of the fortifications were built.

The Delmatae waged war against the Romans for a century and a half. It would seem that the Vidoši hillfort did not fall in 155 BCE, when Delminium, the Delmatae's chief stronghold, was conquered, but rather that it held out into later times. Being rather far from the main routes in the area, it would no doubt have been in service in the Delmatae's later defensive systems. It probably finally lost its defensive purpose during Augustus' reign, just before the end of the 1st century BCE. If so, it would have remained in use for three centuries or more (Benac, 1983, 99).

 

2. Description of the property

The remains of the material culture of the  Delmatae come in two basic forms: settlements and necropolises (Govedarica, 1983, 56). Their settlements, known as hillforts (gradine), are of particular importance for the study of the area. They are located on the outermost spurs of the hills around the plain, usually on high ground enjoying natural protection and a favourable strategic position. It has been ascertained that the hillforts in the Livno plain were primarily places of habitation with fortifications for defence. So far none has been found that was designed solely or principally for worship and other events of a spiritual nature, though there are such places in the wider region(4). The hillforts of the Livno plain could be said to have had a specific area, larger or smaller, serving as a local shrine, alongside their primary function.

Extensive hillfort agglomerations can clearly be seen to consist of two parts, primary and secondary (Govedarica, 1983, 56). The primary component is the strategic fortified plateau, serving as a fortress-refuge and the religious centre of the settlement, with the residential function of this part of the hillfort only in third place. The secondary component was not protected by ramparts, was considerably larger than the fort, and was usually located right by the ramparts or on the slopes and at the foot of the hill, in the plain itself. This part was used solely for residential purposes. The absence of solidly-built architecture makes this component of the hillfort initially hard to recognize: only the quantities of pottery shards at the foot of the hill indicate that there was once a settlement on this side.

The Delmatae lived in tribes, and their hillforts were bastions in a more-or-less organized system of defence in the event of squabbles with their immediate neighbours (Govedarica, 1983, 56).

Velika gradina in Vidoši is a triple hillfort, meaning that it was of greater importance. Largest and most important was its central area (A), roughly circular in plan, while the two additional components to the south (B) and north-west (C) are irregular or elongated in plan (Benac, 1983, 94)

The central area of Velika gradina in Vidoši (A) consists of the main fortifications, surrounded to the east, north-west and south-west by a massive stone embankment. By far the most substantial part of the embankment, and of the other embankments in the fort, is the eastern part, which is about 11 m high and 51 m wide, representing a so-called “limit tumulus,” the outermost point of the fort. A natural, somewhat raised knoll was used to make this part of the central fort, reinforced by a stone embankment which extended to the north-west and south-west. Clearly the entire fort faced east, and this side thus guarded the approaches to the hillfort, for it was here that the defences could most easily be reached.

The south-western part of the embankment of the central fort is also very substantial, in places about 25 m wide and 5-6 m high, abutting directly on the “limit tumulus.” Even without archaeological excavations, a retaining wall of large, undressed stone can be seen on the south slope of the embankment, forming a solid stone embankment. It is very likely that there was another such wall on the inside of the embankment, which would have consisted of two separate walls with a stone infill. Since no binders were used when these retaining walls were built, they later collapsed and were covered by the stone infill, giving the impression that the embankment was created simply by piling up stones (Benac, 1983, 96). These retaining walls must have resembled the stone walls used to surround plots of land in karst regions, though very large pieces of stone would have been used for hillfort embankments. This does not mean that there were no embankments without outside walls, but they must have existed, since the lie of the land would have made it necessary.

The embankment to the north-west of the central fort is somewhat lower, forming an arc enclosing the interior of this part of the hillfort which, along with the “limit tumulus” and the other parts of the embankment, constitute a single system of fortifications and solid protection for the occupants and defenders of the hillfort.

To the west of the central fortifications, the site slopes down quite steeply, and there is no protective embankment on this side.

The embankments enclosed a rather large plateau 971 x 46 m), sloping gently towards the west.  In places the cultural layer contains quantities of pottery shards, and similar material and other remains can be found on and below the embankment, a clear indication that the hillfort was inhabited and not used solely as a fort. The entrance to the residential plateau was at the point where the southern part of the embankment meets the western edge of the hillfort. There was probably a separate, solidly-built and well-defended gateway at this point.

An important factor is that there are quantities of the remains of white, quite pure mortar scattered over the upper edges of these embankments. The remains of walls built of roughly dressed stone set in mortar can be seen in many parts of the embankment. This means that these walls have no connection with the retaining walls built without binder, as described above (Benac, 1983, 98). It can be seen on the north-western embankment of the central fortifications that this later wall was 0.85-0.95 m wide, and that it had a revetment on both sides of stone set in mortar, with an infill of undressed rubble. The nature of the mortar suggests a dating to late antiquity, although without systematic archaeological investigations it is impossible to date this new wall accurately. There can be no doubt that the substantial embankment of the central fortifications of this prehistoric hillfort was reused, with a new wall built on top of it to create a new fort of the same size as the prehistoric one. Finds of pottery (shards with wide grooves on the inside and of distinctive manufacture) date it to late antiquity (4th to 6th century).

The second part of the fort (B), to the south, abuts on the central fortifications. The embankment of this section begins at the “limit tumulus” and forms a wide arc enclosing a new plateau to the east.  There was a permanent entrance on the north-east side of the embankment, protected by two projecting wings of the embankment, while to the west the embankment was reinforced, acting as a new “limit tumulus.”

The plateau of the southern section of the hillfort is smaller than the central one, and consists of stony ground about 55 m in width. No cultural layer has been observed there, making it difficult to ascertain whether it was inhabited. It probably served a defensive purpose only, alongside the central fortifications.

The third area (C), surrounded by an embankment, is at the opposite side from the lateral fortifications B.  The embankment of this section of the hillfort is much lower and less solidly built than the others. There are no signs on it of any later building works.

A certain quantity of slag iron was found in the area outside the hillfort, from the entrance to the lateral fortifications B to the middle of the “limit tumulus,” suggesting that iron ore was smelted there to produce iron.

All this leads to the following preliminary conclusions:

-          the hillfort in Vidoši consisted of three sections, and thus stands out among the hillforts of the Livno plain,

-          the central fortifications, A, were surrounded by a substantial embankment, and the inner plateau was inhabited,

-          the central fortifications were also used in late antiquity, when a new wall was built, using mortar, over the stone embankment,

-          the areas of the hillfort to each side (B and C) were not in use during late antiquity. The south-western part was a substantial reinforcement of the central fortifications, and the main entrance to the hillfort was located in its embankment. The north-western part (C) was less well fortified and might have been used to keep livestock within the hillfort,

Without archaeological excavations it is hard to provide an accurate dating for the fortified hillfort, in the absence of metal artefacts (or possible finds of imported pottery) that might serve as fairly certain indicators. The pottery shards that have been found suggest that the hillfort in Vidoši could not date from before the 5th century BCE, but it should also be said that typologically such pottery was long-lasting, even into the Roman period. As a result, pottery is chronologically insensitive for the last four centuries BCE, and cannot be used to date sites accurately. Bearing in mind parallels with other hillforts in the Livno, Duvno and Glamoč plains, it may be surmised that Velika gradina in Vidoši was originally built in the 4th century BCE, this referring to the central fortifications.  The lateral fortifications B were built when it became necessary to reinforce the central fortifications. This whole region was in great danger in the 2nd century BCE, when Rome turned to the Balkans in its campaigns of conquest, and the interests of Rome and the allied Delmatae tribes clashed, probably resulting in the enlargement of the hillfort and the construction of its lateral wings.

The Delmatae were up in arms against Rome for a century and a half. It would seem that even in 155 BCE, when the Delmatae centre of Delminium was taken, the Vidoši hillfort did not fall, but survived into later times. Somewhat away from the main roads in the region, it no doubt continued to serve its purpose in the Delmatae's later defensive systems. It probably finally lost its defensive function during Augustus' time, at the end of the 1st century BCE. This would mean that it remained in use for about three centuries or more (Benac, 1983,  99).

 

3. Legal status to date

By ruling of the Institute for the Protection of Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina no. 05/13-504-1/66 of 8 April 1966, the hillfort in Vidoši, a prehistoric fort, was registered as a cultural monument.

In the Regional Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina, stage B, valorization of natural and cultural-cum-historical values, until 1980 the hillfort in Vidoši was protected as a category I monument (of national importance), under serial no. 111, as part of the Livno plain area.

 

4. Research and conservation and restoration works 

There are numerous hillforts in the Livno plain, particularly around its edges, representing the most important range of prehistoric sites in the area.

In 1976 and 1977 a team from the Centre for Balkan Studies of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina conducted a systematic investigation, in association with Prof. Dušan Nikić of the Regional Museum in Livno, of the first and second levels of the hillfort, collecting considerable information. The first level of investigations entailed identifying the hillforts as archaeological sites and historic monuments, and the second included a description of the hillforts, a photographic survey, a geodetics survey, and taking soundings in a number of hillforts (Benac, 1983, 93).

 

 5. Current condition of the property

The findings of an on-site inspection conducted on 31 July 2008 are as follows:

Part of the fort is surrounded by a wire fence.  Some fifty metres to the east of the hillfort is a local asphalt road. The village of Vidoši lies to the south (at the foot of the hillfort) and south-west.

To the south is the entrance to a nuclear shelter, used as a military hospital during the 1992-1995 war.  This lies beneath and is incorporated into the hillfort. The shelter has now been abandoned and may be freely entered. Outside the entrance, to the right, is a derelict, abandoned stone house, and to the left, the source of the river Sturba. There are inhabited houses at the foot of the hillfort, about 30 metres to the south.

 

III – CONCLUSION

Applying the Criteria for the adoption of a decision on proclaiming an item of property a national monument (Official Gazette of BiH nos. 33/02 and 15/03), the Commission has enacted the Decision cited above.

The Decision was based on the following criteria:

A.         Time frame

B.         Historical value

D.         Clarity

D. ii.     evidence of historical change

D.iv.      evidence of a particular type, style or regional manner

G.         Authenticity

G.i.       form and design

G.v.      location and setting

H.         Rarity and representativity

H. i.      unique or rare example of a certain type or style

 

The following documents form an integral part of this Decision:

-          Copy of cadastral plan;

-          Photodocumentation;

-          Drawings.

 

Bibliography

During the procedure to designate the monument as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina the following works were consulted: 

 

1983.    Benac, Alojz, Gradina u Vidošima, Arheološka problematika zapadne Bosne (The Hillfort in Vidoši, Archaeological Matters of Western Bosnia), Archaeological Society of BiH, Collected Works, vol. I, Sarajevo, 1983.

 

1983.    Govedarica, Blagoje, Iz najstarije prošlosti Livanjskog polja, Arheološka problematika zapadne Bosne (From the Ancient Past of the Livno Plain, Archaeological Matters of Western Bosnia), Archaeological Society of BiH, Collected Works, vol. I, Sarajevo, 1983.

 

1994.    Periša, Darko, Livno u prethistorijsko doba Livanjski kraj u povijesti (Livno in Prehistoric Times, the Livno Area in the Past), Split-Livno, 19-26.

 

1994.    Zaninović, Marin, Livanjsko polje u antici kao primjer delmatske zajednice, Livanjski kraj u povijesti (The Livno Plain in Antiquity as an Example of a Delmatae Community, the Livno Area in the Past), Split- Livno1994, 45-55.

 

1999.    Milošević, Ante, “Predgovor”, Arheološka zbirka Franjevačkog muzeja u Livnu (Foreword, the Archaeological Collection of the Franciscan Museum in Livno), Split, 1999, 7-8.

 

1999.    Petrinec, Maja, “Kasnoantičko razdoblje”, Arheološka zbirka Franjevačkog muzeja u Livnu (Late Antiquity, the Archaeological Collection of the Franciscan Museum in Livno), Split, 1999, 29-31.

 


(1) The Cetina culture was widespread in Dalmatia, Herzegovina and south and south-east Bosnia.  Phase 1 dates from the transitional period between the Eneolithic and the early Bronze Age, phase 2 to the early Bronze Age, and phase 3 to the transitional period between the early and middle Bronze Age (Arheološki leksikon BiH, 1988, 66).

(2) Cremation of the deceased

(3) Burial

(4) This is in reference to Mandina gradina in the Duvno plain, which could have been a major religious centre, and the hillfort at Veliki Obljaj in the Glamoč plain, where to all appearances the hillfort complex was dedicated to the dead (Govedarica, 1983, 56)



Plan of the hillfortPrehistoric hillfort known as Velika gradina in VidošiPrehistoric hillfort known as Velika gradina Prehistoric hillfort known as Velika gradina


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