Page 74 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 13(2) (2025)

2
century BCE. Bioarchaeological analysis deter- not merely represent decoration, but conceptual-
mined that graves 2 and 3 contained two old- ise time and its cyclical nature – endless, like the
er male individuals, while a younger individual very act of weaving (Torelli 1997, 59–62; Primas
aged between 9 and 11 years was buried in grave 2007, 306–11; cf. Gleba 2009).
4. The skeletal remains from grave 6 undoubt-
edly belonged to an adult (Novak 2025; Novak Mala Prepoved
et al. 2025), who, based on the associated grave The largest known Adriatic-type spectacle fib-
goods, is identified as female. A large quantity ula from Osor was identified among the ‘col-
of various animal bone fragments was recovered lection’ of Kavanela material during a review at
from all the described graves. the Archaeological Museum of Istria in Pula.
Grave 6 also contained other jewellery, in- According to field documentation and the re-
cluding two pairs of tubular bronze bracelets sim- port by Baćić, it was associated with a distinct
74 ilar to those from Kavanela (Glogović 1989, pl. 37, crouched skeletal burial in a stone chest exca-
6; Blečić Kavur 2010, pl. 50, 793–802) and Sv. vated in a tumulus at Mala Prepoved (fig. 1; 7,
Petar (fig. 11, 4), simple bronze rings and small- 1) (Baćić 1963, 1–2; 1967, 3–4; Blečić Kavur and
studia universitatis hereditati, letnik 13 (2025), številka 2 / volume 13 (2025), number 2
er hoops, as well as an amber bead necklace com- Kavur 2024, 26). The grave assemblage also in-
posed of beads of various shapes with two yel- cluded a very large two-part Osor-type fibula
low glass beads (Buršić-Matijašić 1990, pl. 2, 1–3, (Glogović 2003, pl. 26, 175; 45, 342; Blečić Ka-
6–7; 3, 5–6). Small blue glass beads, two bronze vur 2010, pl. 43, 579; 44, 585), a ceramic spin-
buttons with small loops and a biconical ceramic dle whorl (fig. 7, 2–3), and small fragments of
spindle whorl were also included in the grave as- coarse pottery around the grave – an ensem-
semblage (fig. 5). ble of objects which, in reduced form, corre-
The presence of the spindle whorl is particu- sponded to that of grave 6 at the more south-
larly significant (fig. 5, 8), as in rich female graves erly Sv. Marija. This not only confirms burial
of the Etruscan necropolises of Tarquinia and at a location above the cove at Bijar but also
Vulci, where a higher number of single- part disc- affirms the combination of these two indica-
on-foot fibulae with geometric decoration are tive items as markers of particularly promi-
found, spindle whorls and/or bobbins are almost nent female individuals. Although the oste-
invariably present. These have been interpreted ological material has not survived, the burial
as indicators of social status, economic position, likely belonged to a female individual, as in-
and the privileged role of women as bearers and dicated not only by the characteristic fibulae
custodians of household production, particular- but also by the ceramic spindle whorl. As the
ly spinning and weaving (Torelli 1997, 59–73; only element relating to spinning and weaving,
Pacciarelli 2001, 244, 247; cf. Gleba 2009). In it most probably reflected the role and status
this context, grave 6 can also be understood as a of the deceased within her (narrower or wider)
local variant of the same codified scheme: a com- Iron Age community.
plex attire with multiple sets of fibulae and jew-
ellery, complemented by a ceramic spindle whorl Within the City Wall
for spinning. While the association of women
with weaving is typically a binary interpretation, Evidence for burials within the settlement pe-
reflecting stereotypical assumptions about gen- rimeter has existed since the earliest excava-
der roles in the past (cf. Arnold 2016), the assem- tions in the 19th century, but only more recent
blage of objects and the iconography of the fun- research has provided direct confirmation. In-
damental symbols present on Osor fibulae do dividual graves have been identified from the
chapel of Sv. Katarina to the monastery of Sv.
2 The dates are FTMC-OG28-1 2576±33 BP, FTMC-OG28-2 2561±32 BP and FTMC-OG28-3 2628±32 BP (Novak 2025).