Katarína HARMADYOVÁ / Ján RAJTÁR / Jaroslava SCHMIDTOVÁ

(Bratislava, Slovakia)

Slovakia took part in the international project “Frontiers of the Roman Empire”, which was aimed to build up an international interconnected net, a guide and an information resource about this cultural route of European importance. Slovakia is represented in the project by the City Museum Bratislava with archaeological sites Rusovce – Gerulata and Devín and by the Archaeological Institute SAS with site Iža – Kelemantia. All three sites rank among the cultural monuments of the highest category. While the exceptional strategic location of Devín Hillfort was exploited by the Romans as a fortified bridgehead in Barbaricum, in Rusovce, a borough in the south of Bratislava, was situated one of the strongholds of Limes Romanus castellum Gerulata. Finally, the Roman castellum Iža lies directly on the left bank of the Danube and served as a bridgehead of legionary camp Brigetio.
All three foregoing sites are under excavations. Devín and Rusovce in Bratislava are inhabited sites and archaeological fieldworks are being carried out directly in the housing estates. The site of Iža is for several years aplace of annually organized summer school of archaeology.
The City Museum Bratislava presents its archaeological sites through various activities, such as exhibitions, publications, performances and special events for children. In 2008, it will be the 10th year of the Roman Games for children in Gerulata. The conservation and restoration of the monument, which was finished in 2007, was aimed to conserve the masonries and to enhance the display of archaeological finds. As for monument protection, the suggestion to protect the monument on a larger scale has been delivered to the Slovak Republic Ministry of Culture.
Activities of Archaeological Institute SAS in Iža can be condensed into following points:

  1. Unambiguous delimitation of area under protection and associated buffer zone
  2. Clarification of ownership rights and management of the monument
  3. Adaptation and presentation of the site.

Results of the project “Frontiers of the Roman Empire”, in which Slovakia took part, namely, a booklet, a DVD film and a website, have been an immense support for the finalization of the nomination project for enlisting the sites in the UNESCO List of Cultural Heritage. The efficient cooperation with Austria based on collegial help and mutual sympathy has resulted in a common website.

Keywords: presentation of the monuments, museums activities, website