Page 14 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 13(2) (2025)

Izvleček
Erozija, sedimentacija in dvig morske gladine lahko pomembno vplivajo na arheološke raziskave. Ti
procesi so preoblikovali obalno linijo in drobno topografijo, tako nad kot pod morsko gladino. Posle-
dično je prostorski kontekst zgodovinskih obalnih mest in naselbin za vedno izgubljen. Osor, železno-
dobno in rimsko mesto na otoku Cresu v severnem Jadranu, ponazarja metodološke izzive, s katerimi
se sooča obalna arheologija.
V takšnih primerih geoarheološke raziskave omogočajo vpogled v potek teh sprememb in prispevajo k
boljšemu razumevanju preteklosti. V primeru Osorja je bila pozornost usmerjena v spremembe njego-
ve obalne lege in pomorske dostopnosti od prazgodovine dalje. V tem kontekstu so bile raziskane do-
mnevne lokacije mestnih pristanišč ter nastanek Osorskega kanala. Prispevek predstavlja rezultate teh
raziskav in dokazuje, da se je Osorski kanal nastal naravno in da je bila oblika pomorske komunikacije
mogoča že v bronasti dobi, ne pa kot posledica človeškega posega v železni dobi ali rimskem obdobju. Z
14 uporabo metode OSL-PD je zaliv Jaz izključen kot rimsko pristanišče, na kratko pa je obravnavano tudi
morebitno urbano pristanišče v zalivu Bijar.
Ključne besede: Osor, geoarheologija, Osorski kanal, ALS/ALB, OSL-profiliranje in datiranje
studia universitatis hereditati, letnik 13 (2025), številka 2 / volume 13 (2025), number 2

Introduction 2017). Measurements of present-day tectonic ac-
uring the post-Last Glacial Maximum tivity using continuous GPS networks indicate
(LGM) period, the melting of ice sheets crustal lowering in the Kvarner Gulf area, con-
Dcaused coastal areas around the world to sistent with tectonic subsidence of 0.63–0.89
be inundated, resulting in the formation of the mm/year as inferred from Roman fish tanks

present-day embayments, channels and inden- (Floridoet al. 2011). Faivre et al. (2010) conclud-
tations (Pikelj and Juračić 2013). These chang- ed that the sea level in the Istrian and Kvarner
es also shaped the eastern Adriatic, resulting in region was approx. 1.0–1.5 metres lower than it is
the formation of the Dalmatian coastline. Ma- today during the first and second centuries AD.
rine waters flooded many coastal basins (paleo- Vacchi et al. (2016) reviewed the local sea-level
lakes) and paleo-river valleys (Sikora et al. 2014, rise in the western Mediterranean over the last
Brunović et al. 2020; 2024; Hasan et al. 2020; 10,000 years.
Smrkulj et al. 2024). As the sea level stabilised The Croatian proverb ‘Dip your finger in the
during the Middle and Late Holocene, deltas or sea and you are connected to the whole world’
estuaries formed in river mouth regions (Sikora applies to all coastal and island settlements and
et al. 2014; Felja et al. 2015; Hasan et al. 2020; to all historical periods. The gradual rise in sea
Smrkulj et al. 2024). These coastal landforms are levels therefore has a number of effects on ar-
largely influenced by the region’s relative sea-lev- chaeological research (e.g. Benjamin et al. 2017).
el history, the amount of sediment supplied by Erosion, sedimentation and rising sea levels have
their rivers and other coastal processes, such as changed the coastline and the small-scale topog-
tides and waves. Human activity in the Late raphy above and below the water. Consequent-
Holocene also had a considerable role in shap- ly, the spatial context of historical coastal cities
ing of the coastal environments (Benjamin et al. and settlements is lost forever, which makes in-
2017). terpreting the remains of buildings or marine in-
The global rise in sea levels over the last mil- frastructure challenging. Osor, an Iron Age and
lennium was a relatively slow process (Lambeck Roman town situated on the island of Cres in
et al. 2014). However, rapid, episodic sea-level the northern Adriatic, is an example that illus-
changes can result from vertical tectonic move- trates the methodological challenges posed by
ments (e.g. Marriner et al. 2017; Benjaminet al. coastal archaeological sites (fig. 1).