Page 48 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 13(2) (2025)

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studia universitatis hereditati, letnik 13 (2025), številka 2 / volume 13 (2025), number 2

Figure 4: Multi-Zonally Organised Prehistoric Fortifications: a) Pukonjina (21), b) Pelginja (20), c) Gradac (57) and d)
Važminec (4) (background data: DTM HR (https://dgu.gov.hr/); elaborated by Martin Fera, 2025)

ridges, plateau edges or steep slopes. The extent, to the hillfort Hrib (34) to 1900 cal BC provides
construction and complexity of the ramparts, a chronological reference (Ilijanić et al. 2024).
and the structure and use of the enclosed are- Three hillforts (Petričina (2), Porozina (3) and
as, also vary considerably. Documented interior Sv. Lovre (47) (similar to Kuši (40)) (fig. 6) have
or surrounding features are generally limited to entirely different layouts to those described above.
central mounds, built (platform) or agricultur- They are similar in size, being two to three times
al terraces or, in a few cases, ecclesiastical ruins larger than other hilltop settlements and have a
dating from after the prehistoric occupation or uniform shape. This is defined by two enclosures,
modern settlement use (fig. 1a) one of which encloses the central settlement area
Most enclosures are relatively small (up to 5 and the other the entire site. A prime example is
ha) to medium (5 to 15 ha) in size defined by one the hillfort of Sv. Lovre (47), which is over 400
or more low ramparts, banks, or dry stone walls. metres long and has three separate terraces. In the
Extensive, multi-zonally organised prehistor- central part, numerous dry stone dwellings are
ic fortifications can be recognised in some cases, still preserved. Unfortunately, past surveys have
some of them including elevated round structures only revealed a few pieces of prehistoric pottery
or mounds (fig. 4). Other hillforts are situated on (Branković and Benvin 2024, 92). On its north-
plateaus bordering the cliff edge, surrounded by a ern side, the settlement is overlaid by several mor-
single enclosure (fig. 5). Of all these examples (16, tared dwellings, including a church dedicated to
22, 25, 29 and 34), only the preliminary dating of Sv. Lovre and a possible hermitage, which Jurković
the paleosoil containing pottery fragments next (2008, 19) counts to the 11th and 12th centuries.