Archaeological digs are taking place in the basement of the private home of Uroš Sarjanović, under the auspices of the Agency for the Management of the Stari Grad Plain
It is interesting the Agency, according to its director Frančesko Duboković, is undertaking such activity, considering good cooperation with archaeologists, conservators and expert staff, to keep afloat and at least party finance itself, Slobodna Dalmacija reported on November 25, 2016.
Lead archaeologist is Ivana Protulipac, while other team members are Eduard Visković, Andrea Devlahović and Marko Matković. Conservation supervision is in the hands of Saša Denegri, employee of the Conservation Department from Split.
“The first phase of archaeological research took ten days. The eastern half of the house was probed, while in the second phase the western area will be searched. We have confirmed the existence of a late antique layer, found in Hvar during every excavation in the town centre of Hvar, as well as foundations of city walls from the 15th century, which make up the organic part of the house, specifically its southern face. Besides remnants of rich antique architecture, a large sum of bronze money was recovered, various glass, bone, metal and useful objects,” said Protulipac.
Many pieces of ceramic crockery are present, including rough kitchen and fine tableware, terra sigillata and different shapes of amphorae. Present is also the hypocaust, a central heating system developed by the Romans, floor and wall mosaics, offering some conclusions on the former owners of the building and the way they lived. The money will after cleaning and conservation offer a more precise dating of the period it comes from.
Research into deeper stratigraphic layers was not possible until now due to complex architecture, so archaeologists hope for new findings in probing the western area of the house.
