Page 23 - Osor v fokusu znanosti

The Osor Aquatorium: An Overview
of Underwater Archaeological Research

Zrinka Ettinger Starčić and Martina Blečić Kavur 2025
Invited Lecture
November

Abstract Within Kvarner Bay and the Cres-Lošinj archipelago, Osor is the
oldest and most significant insular settlement, as well as the best archaeo-
logically researched. Its strategic location, both within the archipelago and 4–5
alongthenorthernAdriaticmaritimeroute,hashistoricallyensuredakeyrole
in maritime and economic networks, leaving a rich cultural and architectural Koper,
heritage shaped over millennia. In addition to terrestrial archaeological re-
search, ongoing since the late 19th century, systematic underwater surveys •
and research have been conducted throughout the insular aquatorium. Spe-
cial attention has been given to the seabed around Osor due to the signif- Spotlight
icance and value of material culture originating from the settlement itself.
This presentation covers all underwater research carried out over the past
decades, from initial surveys to excavations yielding individual finds, which
began in the late 1960s. Chronologically, these investigations can be divided
into two major periods: the first systematic research in the second half of the Scientific
20th century, and more recent systematic and rescue investigations in the
early decades of the 21st century. The results of these activities undoubtedly the
complement our understanding of the patterns and dynamics of life in this
insular centre across different historical periods, particularly regarding an- in
cient maritime activity, navigation, and Osor’s role in established trade and Osor
economic networks of nearby and more distant regions.

Keywords Cres, Osor, harbour, maritime route, underwater archaeological
research

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