VILLAEADRI. The villas of the eastern Adriatic: forms and chronology of the exploitation of the coast and the islands in ancient times

  • Section: Antiquity
  • Directors: Audrey Bertrand, lecturer, University Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée; Emmanuel Botte, University of Aix-Marseille, researcher CNRS, Centre Camille Jullian, UMR 7299; Corinne Rousse, lecturer, University of Aix-Marseille, CNRS, Centre Camille Jullian, UMR 7299

Presentation

The programme brings together two separate projects with the aim of studying the impact of the Roman presence on coastal areas in the eastern Adriatic (Croatia), focusing on the model of large coastal properties and using multidisciplinary approaches (economy, resource management, paleo-environment). The Loron/Santa Marina programme in Istria, north of Croatia, is centered on a large senatorial and imperial property, known for hosting one of the largest oil amphora workshops in the northern Adriatic. The current project, led by C. Rousse (AMU, Centre C. Jullian) in collaboration with the Territorial Museum of Poreč, focuses on the study of the villa, the resources of the territory and the environmental impacts of the Roman settlement. Directed by A. Bertrand (Paris-East MLV University, ACP) and E. Botte (CNRS, Centre C. Jullian), the second project focuses on central-southern Dalmatia and aims to combine two approaches, often dealt with separately: analyze the economic transformations accompanying the Roman domination and the political and administrative methods for the management of the conquered territories by considering the scale of a region. The preferred approach is an economic one, through the historical and archaeological study of villas with facilities for the production of foodstuffs (wine, oil, fish) and/or their trading tools (amphoras), but also by means of surveys over more extensive territories.The programme brings together two separate projects with the aim of studying the impact of the Roman presence on coastal areas in the eastern Adriatic (Croatia), focusing on the model of large coastal properties and using multidisciplinary approaches (economy, resource management, paleo-environment). The Loron/Santa Marina programme in Istria, north of Croatia, is centered on a large senatorial and imperial property, known for hosting one of the largest oil amphora workshops in the northern Adriatic. The current project, led by C. Rousse (AMU, Centre C. Jullian) in collaboration with the Territorial Museum of Poreč, focuses on the study of the villa, the resources of the territory and the environmental impacts of the Roman settlement. Directed by A. Bertrand (Paris-East MLV University, ACP) and E. Botte (CNRS, Centre C. Jullian), the second project focuses on central-southern Dalmatia and aims to combine two approaches, often dealt with separately: analyze the economic transformations accompanying the Roman domination and the political and administrative methods for the management of the conquered territories by considering the scale of a region. The preferred approach is an economic one, through the historical and archaeological study of villas with facilities for the production of foodstuffs (wine, oil, fish) and/or their trading tools (amphoras), but also by means of surveys over more extensive territories.

Key words

Roman period; Adriatic; Istria; Dalmatia; economy; villa; workshop; amphora; paleo-environment; paleobotany

Key statistics

  • 2 sites being excavated
  • 4 islands subject to survey (Brač, Hvar, Korčula et Vis)
  • 8 partner institutions

Partners

Principal partners

  • École française de Rome
  • University Aix-Marseille – Centre Camille Jullian (AMU, CNRS, UMR 7299)
  • University Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée (ACP EA 3350)`
  • French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development (MAEDI)
  • Archaeological institute of Zagreb
  • Ministry of Culture of Croatia
  • Territorial Museum of Poreč
  • Commune of Tar-Vabriga (Istria)
  • Commune of Selca (Brač, Split-Dalmatia)

Other partners

  • ASM (UMR 5140, Université de Montpellier 3)
  • CEREGE (AMU, CNRS, IRD, UM 34)
  • IMBE (AMU, CNRS, UMR 7263)
  • ISEM (UMR 5554)

Calendar

In 2017

  • April 2017: excavation of villa of Bunje, Brač (Split-Dalmatia)
  • July 2017: excavation of Loron/Santa Marina (Istria): study of the villa (maritime façade) and programme of paleo-botanic research (complete excavation of a furnace and exhaustive anthracological study to document the management of the forest resources around the workshop and to evaluate their ecological impact)
  • Octobre 2017: excavation of villa of Bunje, Brač (Split-Dalmatia)

In 2018

Loron (Istria)

Brač (Dalmatia)

In 2019

Loron (Istria)

  • 26 june-31 july 2019: field campaign

Brac (Dalmatia)

  • September-october 2019: field campaign

Outputs and expected results

  • Annual report on the excavations
  • Scientifiques publications
  • Organisation of seminars and study days
  • Monographs
  • Reconstruction and enhancement of the sites for the public

Page translated from French, 2020/04/07

European and national Programmes (ERC, ANR)

Laboratoire International Associé (LIA)

p
a
r
t
a
g
e
r