Page 153 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 13(2) (2025)

Make Osor Great Again: Accessible Archaeology Between Island and Cloud
Naj Osor znova postane velik: dostopna arheologija med otokom in oblakom

Zrinka Mileusnić
University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities, Slovenia
zrinka.mileusnic@fhs.upr.si

Abstract
Osor, a small settlement, embodies the tension between exceptional archaeological significance and
limited contemporary accessibility. Once a key maritime and ecclesiastical centre of the northern Adri-
atic, it is today marked by demographic decline, infrastructural constraints, and strong tourism sea- 153
sonality. This article conceptualises accessibility as a multidimensional heritage problem that extends
beyond physical access to include interpretation, knowledge circulation, and public engagement. Fo-
cusing on digital heritage tools, particularly the concept of a digital twin, it argues that digitally me-
diated access can transform archaeological research into a distributed educational and cultural in-
frastructure. Osor is presented as a pilot case for rethinking heritage promotion, interpretation and
presentation in small and remote sites, aligning archaeological interpretation with sustainability, inno-
vation, and learning.
Keywords: archaeological heritage, digital heritage, accessibility, digital twin, sustainable tourism

Izvleček
Osor, majhno naselje, ponazarja razkorak med izjemno arheološko vrednostjo in omejeno sodobno do-
stopnostjo. Nekdanje pomembno pomorsko in cerkveno središče severnega Jadrana danes zaznamu-
jejo demografski upad, infrastrukturne omejitve in izrazita sezonskost turizma. Prispevek obravnava
dostopnost kot večplastni dediščinski problem, ki poleg fizičnega dostopa vključuje tudi interpretaci-
jo, diseminacijo znanja in vključevanje javnosti. S poudarkom na digitalnih dediščinskih orodjih, zlas-
ti na konceptu digitalnega dvojnika, pokaže, kako lahko digitalno posredovana dostopnost arheolo-
ško znanje preoblikuje v razpršeno izobraževalno in kulturno infrastrukturo. Osor je predstavljen kot
pilotni primer za premislek o promociji, interpretaciji in prezentaciji dediščine na majhnih ter oddalje-
nih najdiščih.
Ključne besede: arheološka dediščina, digitalna dediščina, dostopnost, digitalni dvojnik, trajnostni
turizem

Introduction nal connecting Cres and Lošinj has enabled its
sor is a small settlement located at development into regional centre of exchange
the narrow channel separating the is- and administration. Today’s Osor is far from
Olands of Cres and Lošinj in the north- its historical role and this duality between his-
ern Adriatic, Croatia. Despite its small area and torical importance and current marginality de-
population, archaeologically and historically it fines its contemporary state. On the one hand,
was an important urban site of the eastern Adri- the town is situated on archaeological remains,
atic due to its strategic maritime crossing point ecclesiastical architecture, urban structures, and
that enabled control of navigation routes linking ritual landscapes. On the other hand, Osor to-
the Kvarner Gulf with the wider Adriatic basin day is characterized by demographic decline,
(Doneus et al. 2017, 763–4). In the past, the ca- limited economic activity, and strong seasonal
https://doi.org/10.26493/2350-5443.13(2)153-165 © author/authors