Vesna GIRARDI JURKIC
(International Research Centre for Archaeology, Brijuni – Medulin, Croatia)
Archeological Vižula and Burle sites are situated on the Vižula peninsula in the very heart of the Mediterranean bay, deep within a well protected port.
Systematic archeological researches of Roman-Late Roman residential villa, perfectly consonant with its surroundings, have been conducted since 1994. Due to a mild slope, slowly rising out of the sea level in the west-east direction, the complex expands to three terraces elevated in a cascade-like manner from the coast towards the inland of the peninsula. Mosaic floors are dated into the period between the 1st and the 5th century AD, while part of the object from the Augustine period is now situated below the sea surface. Combination of rooms of the researched complex points out to the multi-layered quality, characteristic for a long-term usage. Existence of a thermal complex with hypocaust, praefurnium, many pools and a water reservoir has been recorded.
During archeological researches conducted on the isthmus of Burle, about 400 cinerary and skeleton graves with extremely beautiful unique gold and silver jewelry, distinctive glassware, cosmetic sets made of glass, bone and silver, and other daily used objects, have been excavated. Just like the adjacent residential villa, they are dated into the period between 50 years BC and 6th century AD. Grave goods generally belong to material culture that was mostly imported from the workshops in the western and eastern parts of the Empire, while the stone monuments emerged from local stone-mason’s workshops. They were made by master stone-masons on the model of imported traditions.