Page 90 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 13(2) (2025)

Bernhard Hänsel, edited by C. Becker, M.- The analysis of material culture focuses on
L. Dunkelmann, C. Metzner-Nebelsick, H. identifying standardised visual codes of dress.
Peter-Röcher, M. Roeder, and B. Teržan. Combinations of Adriatic spectacle fibulae, bow
Marie Leidorf. fibulae with amber beads on the bow, two-part
Wojewódka, D. 2024. ‘Results of Spectroscopic Osor-type fibulae, and jewellery of amber, glass,
Analysis of Amber Samples from Osor, and bronze are interpreted as structured social
Croatia.’ Unpublished report. Museum of markers. Variations in the frequency and complex-
Amber, Museum of Gdańsk. ity of these assemblages are considered indicators
of status and social role, particularly in female bur-
Summary ials. The presence of ceramic spindle whorls and
The paper presents an interdisciplinary analy- the decoration of Osor-type fibulae in the richer
sis of burial assemblages from the Osor area, dat- graves are discussed within a framework of sym-
ing to the transition from the Late Bronze Age to bolic economy related to labour, cyclicality, and
90 the early phases of the Early Iron Age (10th–8th social reproduction. Bioarchaeological data are in-
centuries BCE). The study reassesses social struc- corporated into the interpretation to limit meth-
studia universitatis hereditati, letnik 13 (2025), številka 2 / volume 13 (2025), number 2
tures, identities, and networks of interaction in odological bias arising from attributing social roles
the northern Adriatic region. The research com- solely on the basis of artefact typology.
bines typological–stylistic analysis of representa- The interpretative framework assumes that
tive material culture with contextual, bioarchae- material culture functions as a medium of social
ological, and chronological data, with particular communication. In this context, geochemical and
emphasis on newly identified closed grave assem- isotopic analyses of metals and amber indicate re-
blages as methodologically reliable units of ar- gional homogenisation of raw materials, inten-
chaeological interpretation. The analysis draws sive bronze recycling, and Osor’s involvement in
on both published and previously unpublished as- long-distance exchange networks, while also sug-
semblages of attire and jewellery from several bur- gesting local production and craft practices. The
ial grounds with different spatial and function- selective adoption and transformation of external
al roles (Kavanela–Preko mosta, Sv. Marija, Mala forms, particularly in the development of Osor-
Prepoved), as well as from burials within the ur- type fibulae, are understood as processes of local
ban area of Osor (Sv. Katarina, Sv. Peter, Osor – reinterpretation within broader trans-Adriatic in-
Zone C) (fig. 1; 3; 9). The material is examined teraction spheres. Taken together, these approach-
through 40 catalogue entries grouped into 11 de- es position Osor as a regional centre whose funer-
fined grave assemblages, with consistent differen- ary practices and material culture reflect sustained
tiation between primary and secondary burials, visual conventions, social differentiation, and
degrees of preservation, and possible post-depo- long-term cultural interaction during the forma-
sitional disturbances. This contextual approach tive phases of the Early Iron Age.
avoids isolated typological interpretation and sup-
ports a socially informed understanding of funer- Povzetek
ary practices. Prispevek predstavlja interdisciplinarno analizo
The typological–stylistic analysis of fibu- grobnih celot z območja Osorja, ki segajo v prehod
lae, jewellery, and associated objects is conduct- iz pozne bronaste dobe v zgodnje faze starejše žele-
ed through comparison with regional and su- zne dobe (10.–8. st. pr. n. št.). Namen raziskave je
pra-regional parallels from the Adriatic and Italic na novo ovrednotiti družbene strukture, identitete
spheres. Relative chronological results are evaluat- in mreže interakcij v severnojadranskem prostoru.
ed against radiocarbon dating, providing a secure Raziskava združuje tipološko-stilsko analizo re-
chronological framework for individual grave as- prezentativne materialne kulture s kontekstualni-
semblages and placing Osor among the limited mi, z bioarheološkimi in s kronološkimi podatki,
number of eastern Adriatic sites with reliably ab- pri čemer je poseben poudarek na novoodkritih za-
solutely dated Early Iron Age burials. prtih grobnih celotah kot metodološko najzaneslji-