Sažetak (engleski) | During 2017 excavations we completed a research on the thermae where we discovered another apse with white mosaic floor (partly destroyed in Late Antiquity, on the southern part with a grave) that probably belonged to the tepidarium. On the northern part of the caldarium we excavated a kiln for the thermae. In one of its fills we found olive pits, used as kiln’s fuel. That way, owners used good combustible material and disposed a waste product from olive oil production.
Between thermae and building with a portico on the northeast of the villa we discovered a large communication, entering a villa from the west and proceeding into the villa all the way in the eastern production part. The communication is wide enough to allow the passing of the wagon. It ends with a large entrance and stone doorstep on the north of the area where mola olearia was found. We assume that olives for oil production were brought here with wagons using this communication.
On the north of the thermae and the passage, there was a building with a portico facing east where we assume a courtyard was positioned. It had few construction phases visible in different construction techniques of the walls. A northern wall of the building was found too, probably defining northern limit of the main villa building on the site.
The thermae area is 1.5‒2 m lower than production area and it is possible it had another floor for living. The villa was built on a slope, and it could easily have been built as a terrace building which allowed openness, airiness and lighting of certain spaces and good views of the valley. The cisterns and a large pond are positioned on the north where the hill rises to use the terrain inclination.
In the middle part of the southern part of the villa, under huge drywall, large space with a central column was discovered. Several construction phases are noticed. There is a layer with early Roman material under some of the walls that will be excavated in 2018.
On the southwest of the cisterns we started with large drywall removal in order to prepare that area for excavation in April 2018 and to approach the drywall behind the mill.
We found many amphora fragments, the largest part with African and East Mediterranean origin (Africana I, Africana II (IIC), Africana III, Spathea, Keay 35A, Keay 62, LR 1, 2, 3, 4, Cnidian, Agora F 65-66), few Adriatic amphorae Dressel 2-4, a fondo piatto and collo ad imbuto; gallic and hispanic examples are presented with minor number of fragments. Significant amount of different ARS vessels (H 9A, 31, 52B, 61B, 68, 82) and African cooking ware (H 23, 185, 196), was found too, late African lamp, LRC (Hayes 3F) as well but not in larger quantity. Among earlier material we found thin walled pottery, italic sigillata and ESB (Hayes F 60, 80). With few fragments Pannonian pottery is presented too (marbled, PGW), ICW (Illlirian cooking ware, ICW 1. type 3.4), dated probably in the 2nd century. Cooking vessels and dolia were found too.
Different stamps on tegulae were found too, major part belonging to Pansiana and a part of the stone inscription, later than the 3rd century. |