TFIE OLDEST TOWN IN EUROPE

VINKOVCI
From the Neolithic to this duY

Vinkovcl2013
Group of authors
THE OLDEST TOWN IN EUROPE
Copublishers:
MLINICIPAL MUSEUM OF VINKOVCI
Trg bana Josipa Sokdevida L6, 32't oo Vinkovci
e-mail: muzej@muzejvk.hr
www. muzejvk.hr
ISBN 978-953 -7 408-25-3
For the publisher: Danijel Petkovii, director
and
PRIVLAeICA d.o.o.Vinkovci
Trg Franje Tudmana 2,321oo Vinkovci
e-mail: snprivlacica@optinet.fu
Monograph Series, Book 2l-
ISBN 978-953 -156 -324-6
For the publisher: Martin Grgurovac, director
Editor
Aleksandar Durman
Photogrnphs
Darko Puharii
Zvonimir Tanocki
DraZen Bota
Damir Lazanin
Robert Valai
Geoarheo d.o.o,
Archives of the Municipal Museum of Vinkovci
Photo illustrations
Ivan Antonovii
Artistic and graphic design
Ivan Antonovii
Translated from Croatian by
Theresa Alt
E Wayles Browne
Tamara Levak-Potrebica
Cataloging in Publication Data available from the on-line catalog
of the Gradska i sveudiliSna knjiZnica Osijek as number 130815M1.
Book financed by
The City of Vinkovci and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia
Printed by: TISKARA VELIKA GORICA
looo copies printed
Printed in June 2o13
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IJrvoje Vulid: CHRONOLOGY

CHRONOLOCY
Chronology of the Most Important Finds and Events
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1 \772 Excavation of the foundations for today's parish clrurch -
Altar to Liber and Libcra with mention of Cibalac
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2 1BB1 64 Kralj Zvonirnir Street - Sarcopl-ragus with fish jril:,-_-_.,.r..-,i
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3 1886 11 Hrvatske Zrtve Street - Bronze statue of Fortuna :i:.1: ;

4 1897 17 Kralj Zvonimir Street - Fragments of t.narble statucs of
Poseidon and Hcrcules
1933 Borinci - Hoard of40 Coppcr Age copper fan-shaped axcs
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20th century
1939-1940 Sopot - Amatcur excavation, M. Klttjn
1953, 1965, 1997 -1998 Mer;rja, S. D init ri i ctti 6, I. I skr n- J ano ii t
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1956 27 J. Dalmatinac Street - Inscription with Christograrn
1957 Sopot - Test excavatron, S. Dimitriicrtii
1965 Meraja - Early Romanesque chapel of St. Elias
1968 IGmcnica - Test invcstigation, V. Snrntrot'ic-Suctek
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1966 New Bronze Age culture nar-ned for Vinl<ovci STAGESOFRESEARCHAT Mffi 1956 trJ] 19,I
1971 Sopot-Leng1,el renar:necl Sopot Culture rHE EXCAVATIONS oF THE POST OFFICE fJj 1966 V219A?
1972-2013 Inlrastructure excavations (telecommunications cable, watcr
main, sewers) - Sourcc of many important finds from all periods
10 1976 PIK - Roman granary, temple, Germanic and Gepid cemeterv
11 1976-1977 NaM:r Department Store - Starievo, Vuieclol, Bronze Age
and Iron Age scttlement, arnd Starievo and lron Age ccmeterv
12 1977 Zvljezda - Prehistoric settlcments
13 1977-1978 Jugobanka - Prehistoric settlements, Roman thermae
14 1977-1978 Hotel Slavoniia - Prehistoric settlements, "coPper
founcler's pit" and Oldest European Calendar
The Tell, of course, changes oaer tiLne, ar'Ld ererv Vuiedol Culture is defir"red
1979 The B-2 stage of
construction project is a potentittl site for finds 15 1988-1989 Post Office - Ruins of Roman thermae
16 1993 Rahcla Photo Studio - Iloman sewers, Roman roacl ancl
10 Gepid graves
17 1993 23 Duga Strect - Abovcground Stardevo Culture structure
18 1996-2008 SJpot - Systematic exploratior.r, M. Krznnrii:-Skripnnko
19 1997^2001 99 Duga Street - Slavic cremation ccmetery
20 1999 40 Duga Strect - First cren-ration grave of the Vinkovci Culture
{ound irr Vinkovci
21 2008 Corso I and II - Ruins of a larrge Roman basilica and a Cepid house
22 2008 B. Jeladii Street - Roman glassmaking furnace
23 2009 Kerufland - Exploration of 54 Ilomarr graves
24 2009 Maktrrt Rcal Estate - Exploratiorr of 70 Iionrt.rr.r graves
25 20-11 Hrvatski DoIn (Croatian I Ior-nt) - Rornan solcl coins, ccrantics o[
the'l-tr rl<.islt atrtl Post- l't t rl<isll pcriotl
26 201 | Nirl\4ir I)t'P,rItrttt'rrISlott' I loirrrl lvitlt silVt'r' '12 silVt'r'olrjt,rls
27 '.tl)l I | ,rllr ( lrli'rli,rrr r orttlr['r rt'illr, lrrrt lr ( lllr r r'rl.)

The Sopot Archeological Park
Maja Krznarid Skrivanko
I'he final purpose of an archeological study is a museum pre-
sentation of the locality that has given the culture its name'
ln2002, after years of planning, the Sopot Archeological Park
began to takeshape thanks to the combined resources of the
Ministries of Culture and Tourism and of the City of Vinkovci'
Archeologically, this is a multilayer locality (after destruction
of houses, they are covered by earth and the terrain is raised,
and then a new horizon of houses is built), as can be seen in
the levels of soil 3 to 6 meters deep. This gives rise to the prob-
lem of whether to present one or several layers of construction
of the settlement. In setting up the Park, therefore, we decid-
cd on the principle of building new houses on the pattern of
the old ones. Two kinds of houses are being built. The older
type, with rectangular floors, had walls made of horizontal
rptit togt, and the younger had vertical pillars driven into
ttre grourd with wattles woven between them. Both types of
houie were daubed with clay mixed with straw. The roof is
thatched and double-Pitched.
After close to 6000 yenrs the Parkhas become tlrc lrcme of the "Bo-
sut Caw tribe". Dressed in the latest Neolithic fashions, in leather
people once led' Eires are
rmd t'urs, they eaoke the life that the Sopot
ngain lit in the houses, fabrics are wor:en, stone uessels and tools are
c"reated.Women ngain grind grain, children shout merrily, whiLe
tlrc men hatte gone out lrunting. The local shaman suntmons rain
tuith the sound of a drum, nnd slrcep baa in the enclosed yards"'
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AT TFIE TURN OF TFIE CENTURY
Recent archeological studies in Vinkovci
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Hrvoje Vu1i6 I
Thanks to years of experience with the Law on Protection of the Cultural Heritage, which
has
been applild in vinkovci since1972, Vinkovci's system of archeoiogical protection is among
the besiln Croatia. After many years of investigations and new findings, the archeologically
protected zone has been extended to almost 70% of the area of the city'
on this topic, for the sake of logical continuity, we will z:enture into the 27st centuty, eaen though
it should he presented in its own chapter.
Starting in 2009, the archeologically protected zone has been divided into Zone A and Zone
B.ZoniBrequires only supervisionby an archeologist, whiie Zone A calls for excavations on
the whole area of a plinned buildlng. this distinction requires the personnel of the Vinkovci
City Museum to spend more time inlhe field (over 150 days a year in recent years), but yields
,rurly *o." archetlogical insights. Most excavations and supervision are done on small ar-
iurg" areas are liss frequent. Archeological supervision is also_required for all public
"ur;
works (water pipes, sewers,Llectric cables, telephone lines). Although utilities dig relatively
narrow trenches, as a rule they cover large areas, enabling much data to be collected' The
most important new insight that we have gained from observing public works is that ci-
balae did not have earthJn walls, at least not throughout its existence; what was thought
to be walls was in fact a geoiogical layer. The city was defended first and foremost by
wide
natural watercourses onlhe east, weit, at-rd south. Only the water barrier on the north side
was artificially dug.
one of the large-slcale excavations was on the site of the future Croatian Home building,
totaling 4000 s{uare meters. This is the largest area covered by study in Vinkovci's history.
ln 201i only a quarter of it (1020 m2) hadleen investigated, but as things now stand, the
excavations will not be continued in the foreseeable future'
Among the numerous recent finds belonging to different periods, four stand out. The oldest
firrd is'a late classical-period hoard, found in a well together with the skeleton of a woman,
jewelry and a bronze coin. The hoard consists of many iron tools, mostiy for carpentry, a
t.or1r" pitcher, a massive bronze tube of unknown purpose, and two gold coins. Interest-
ingly, the gold coins belong to two emperors, for one shows valentinian I who ruled the
Em-
W""sturll R6man Empire, and the other Valens, who at the same time ruled the Eastern
pire. (The two brothers born in Cibalae were the only Roman emperors born on the territory
Lf pres"r-rt-duy Croatia.) A second interesting find is a large quantity o{ pottery from the
f.rrt irt.1 and iost-Turkish periods. Such a flnd ls a real rarity. 1n2012 the other two finds
were discoveied, which, without exaggerating, we can call sensational! The first is a hoard
of
silver vessels weighing 36 kg in all, most likely from the mid-4th century. |ust how important
it is, is shown Uyine f"act thit this hoard of silver in its number of objects, mass and quality
of workmanship ranks with the four largest and most famous hoards of its kind in
Europe'
The other find is remarkable because r-rothir-rg similar has ever been found on the territory
of
continental Croatia. It is the cliscovery of a laige early Christian church complex from the 4th
century that covers more than 4000 m2. Excavations of both of these finds as well as those on
the teriitory of the city will give us much new in{ormation and con{irm Vinkovci as one
of
the most important archeological sites in the whole region'
A CONTRIBUTION TO THE HERITAGE OF CROATIAN, EUROPEAN AND WORLD CIVILIZATION
ffiffi#tiri.l:1?i!:,ria!&!t*!wjft@ffi68ffi5K
A CITY exceptional in the Croatian context
the only old Croatian Pre-Romanesque
chapel inland - all others are on the coast
the Iargest early Christian complex
with a church ever discovered in
inland (continental) Croatia
Stardevo ceramie.kifn (ca. 600O B.C.)
iW
A CITY exceptional in the Europsan context
the oldest European city
,tfre oldest European calendar
one of the largest hoards of Roman
silver objects ever found in Europe
more than B0 Roman ceramic kilns
Roman ceramic kiln (ca. 150 A.D.)
W
A CITY exceptional in the !\rorld context
after Jericho Vinkovci belongs to
the few cities with the longest continuous
habitation in one place
the oldest lndo-European calendar
the first mass production of metal objects
the first production of bronze
8000 years of continuous ceramic production
Vinkovci ceramic kiln of the late 20th cen.