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The Greek establishment of the city of Pharos and their presence on other Adriatic islands and the coast brought a new population, mostly islanders, to adapt to the new landscape. Approaching the shoreline as a bridge, not a boundary, they explored the sea and harvested sea life leaving us remains of shellfish gathering and artefacts of non-utilitarian purposes. Such remains are found in Pharos, on the island of Hvar, throughout different excavations of settlement contexts. An archaeomalacological analysis will reveal traces of use of shellfish, while a historical approach will be used for a better understanding of the importance of the sea and its fruits in everyday life of the Greeks. Comparing Adriatic marine evidence from the Late Classical and Hellenistic period with those in the Aegean Sea will provide insight into the seascape explored by the Greek colonists and those left in the motherland.

At the end of the Late Bronze Age and the beginning of the Early Iron age, two cemeteries from eastern Croatia were formed – Sotin and Batina. Animal remains from six female graves (three from each cemetery) were selected for zooarchaeological analysis. Animal presence in graves indicates their inclusion in funerary rites. By sharing coexistence with humans, animals often shared an afterlife as well. Along the way, they ended up as a part of the sacrifice or as a companion to the deceased. Archaeozoological analysis from the sites of Sotin and Batina revealed mostly unburned and domestic animals (cattle, pig, sheep/goat), with exception of one roe deer astragalus. Analyses of the faunal remains from female graves are not very common, and this study presents new data with many questions and few answers on this topic.

Environmental changes at the end of the Pleistocene and the beginning of Holocene, such as change in climate, faunal and floral communities, sea level and so on had impact on human behavior and use of resources. These are also reflected in diet. Here we present the use of marine mollusks in diet of Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic inhabitants of Vlakno cave, Dugi Otok, Croatia. Differences in treatment of mollusks (e.g. traces of burning, abundance) and differences in species collected are compared between layers of inhabitation at the site.

Paleolithic sites situated in the Hrvatsko zagorje region of north-western Croatia (Krapina, Vindija) are well known because they contain important finds of fossil human remains associated with both faunal remains and lithic industry. However, in recent years, work on Mousterian sites in Dalmatia (south Croatia) has intensified. It focuses on three types of sites, (caves, open-air, and an underwater site) as well as on a systematic survey of the region. This poster briefly presents one of each type of the site in the light of new research and compares evidences from these sites. While the cave site of Mujina pećina has yielded both lithics and faunal remains in a stratigraphic context, lithics from the Karanušići open-air site and the Kaštel Štafilić— Resnik underwater site were mainly collected from the surface. Although surface finds lack stratigraphic information, they contain some general technological and typological data, damage patterns, as well as information on sphericity and roundness of finds. This integrative approach to mentioned sites allows a comparison between land sites and those now under water, providing better insight into formation processes, a more complete picture of the area occupied by the Mousterian people and a clearer insight into their mobility patterns.

Shells of marine and land mollusc exploited by prehistoric humans contain archives of palaeoecological and palaeoclimatic data, as well as of human behaviour in coastal settings. Here we present a method for studying archaeomalacological assemblages from cave sites and describe an application of this method in the analysis of remains recovered from systematic excavations at Vlakno cave (Dugi island, Croatia). The study was based on marine gastropods, marine bivalves and terrestrial gastropods from late Pleistocene and early Holocene layers. In that period, a significant paleogeographic and palaeoecological changes occurred, mostly visible in the Adriatic area through flooding of the north Adriatic lowland by increasing sea level. Taphonomic studies have an important role in identification of agents that modify shells and of processes that affect shell midden formation. This study contributes to enhanced interpretations of human activities and paleoenvironmental and paleoecological reconstructions of eastern Adriatic coast.

Romuald's cave is located on the southern slopes of the Lim channel in Istria, Croatia. In the mid 20th century M. Malez conducted more extensive excavations of the site and unearthed various archaeological and paleontological material dating from the Late Pleistocene to the Bronze and Iron Age. The Late Pleistocene finds included Upper Palaeolithic types of tools, faunal remains and two juvenile human teeth. In 2007 and 2008 D. Komšo led small scale excavations during which several Mousterian artefacts were found. In 2014 new excavations of the site started as a part of the ARCHAEOLIM financed by the Croatian Science Foundation. During the three years of work at the site, human skeletal material and artefacts from Bronze Age, as well as artefacts from Iron age were found. The middle sequences yielded several Upper Palaeolithic tool types, while the lower sequence yielded Mousterian artefacts and Pleistocene faunal remains dated to over 48 kya.

Rad donosi rezultate arheoloških istraživanja na četiri lokaliteta na području Limskog kanala provedenih tijekom 2016. godine. Terenska istraživanja dio su projekta “Arheološka istraživanja kasnog pleistocena i ranog holocena na prostoru Limskog kanala (ARCHAEOLIM)” financiranog od Hrvatske zaklade za znanost i provedena su na četiri lokaliteta: Romualdovoj pećini, Abri Kontija 002, Pećini kod Rovinjskog Sela i Lim 001., This paper presents the results of archaeological excavation conducted in the course of 2016 at four sites in the Lim Channel area. The field excavations were conducted in the frame of the Archaeological Investigations into the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene of the Lim Channel (ARCHAEOLIM) project, financed by the Croatian Science Foundation and conducted at four sites: Romuald’s Cave, Abri Kontija 002, Cave near Rovinjsko Selo and Lim 001.

The end of Pleistocene saw drastic change in climate, including sea level rise, which reached approximately today's levels at the beginning of Holocene. All this resulted in submerging or erasing of many sites. So far, underwater Palaeolithic sites at eastern Adriatic shore are very rare. However, Kaštel Štafilić – Resnik can be attributted to the Middle Paleolithic while finds from another underwater site, located near the island of Stipanac in Prokljansko lake near Skradin, may be attributed to Pleistocene. Kaštel štafilić - Resnik is located at about 4 meters below today's sea level. Technological and typological analysis of all collected lithic finds was undertaken, including measurements of roundness and sphericity. Analysis shows that the most abudant tool types at Kaštel Štafilić - Resnik are side scrapers, typical of Mousterian industry. Lithic industry of Stipanac will be preliminary presented in this oral presentation. Research on underwater Palaeolithic sites has a great potential, yet it comes with difficulties. One of major problems is distinguishing artefatcts from geofacts, both when collecting, as well as during analysis. In addition, the sites are often disturbed by changes in sea level. Furthermore, underwater research is more time consuming, and much more expensive than research at land sites. However, the potential rewards are great, as very little is known about many aspects of formation of such sites, as well as various processess that affected the sites since human habitation. Therefore, it is essential to invest into and further our efforts in this type of research, which will benefit future knowledge and methodology alike.

As a part of the project „Archaeological Investigations into the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene of the Lim Channel, Istria (ARCHAEOLIM)“ financed by the Croatian Science foundation (Grant no. 7789), archaeological excavations have been undertaken on four sites Two yielded material from the Paleolithic. At Romualdo's Cave previous researchers found traces of the Upper Paleolithic industry and two human teeth, and later several artefacts that could be assigned to Mousterian industry. Our work resulted in discovery of faunal remains and lithic finds from Upper Pleistocene. While the Upper Paleolithic finds were rare (only a few lithic finds can be securely assigned to this period) there is evidence of human occupation of the site during the Middle Paleolithic. At Abri Kontija 002 archaeological work resulted in a very rich, and what seems to be either frequent or continuous human presence during the Upper Paleolithic. All excavated layers are very rich in faunal remains, lithics, and traces of fire and other finds. Here we discuss the main finds from three excavation seasons.

Nekropola Gradci iz starijega željeznog doba dio je kompleksnoga arheološkog nalazišta u blizini mjesta Kaptol kraj Požege. Tijekom 2007. godine istraživan je tumul 13, čija je starost tipološki određena prema nalazima, a smješta ga u razdoblje Ha C2/D1. Tijekom 2010. godine istražen je tumul 14 koji se datira u Ha C2 razdoblje, odnosno u drugu polovinu 7. st. pr. Kr. Tijekom istraživanja iz oba su tumula uzimani uzorci za arheobotaničku analizu čije rezultate predstavljamo u ovom radu. U tumulu 13 nađeno je 140 karboniziranih biljnih ostataka ; prevladavaju različiti plodovi sakupljeni u prirodi, a najzastupljeniji je lješnjak (Corylus avellana). U tumulu 14 izdvojeno je 3880 karboniziranih biljnih ostataka. U nalazima dominiraju različite vrste žitarica, ali su u određenom postotku prisutni i „voćni” prilozi, prije svega plodovi divlje jabuke (Malus sylvestris). Prilozi biljnog podrijetla nesumnjivo su imali veliko značenje u grobnom ritualu halštata, ali za precizniju rekonstrukciju običaja trebat će dovršiti analize ostalih tumula s istog lokaliteta koje su u tijeku. The Early Iron Age necropolis of Gradci is part of a complex archaeological site in the vicinity of the municipality of Kaptol, near Požega (Croatia). In 2007, tumulus 13 was excavated and, on the basis of a typological analysis of the artefacts discovered, dated to period Ha C2/D1. In 2010, tumulus 14 was explored. That one has been dated to Ha C2, that is, to the second half of the 7th cent. BC. During the excavations, samples for archaeobotanical analysis were taken from both tumuli ; this paper presents the results of that analysis. From tumulus 13, 140 carbonized plant remains were recovered. Predominant among them were various fruits gathered from the environment, with greatest presence of common hazel (Corylus avellana). In tumulus 14, 3880 carbonized plant remains were recorded. Predominant among them were various cereal species, with a noticeable proportion of ‘fruit’ grave goods, primarily wild apples (Malus sylvestris). Grave goods of plant origin were undoubtedly very important in the Hallstatt grave ritual, but for a more precise reconstruction of the customs of the time we have to complete the ongoing analysis of finds from other tumuli within the same site.

This paper offers a discussion of criteria for lithic atributes that distinguish between human and natural causes of chert modification. The approach is based on various criteria, including technological properties, metric data, and microscopic analysis of damage patterns, among others. Emphasis is made on measurements of sphericity and roundness, as these have proved to have a great potental in distinguishing natural and human modifications. Comparison between open- air, underwater, and cave sites allows an insight into differential natural factors that could affect damage patterns.

Kaštel Štafilić – Resnik is an open-air Middle Paleolithic site, located in Dalmatia, dating to the time when the sea level was lower than today. This is the first systematic exploration of underwater Paleolithic site in Croatia. Poster presents results of lithic analysis of material collected during field seasons 2008, and 2010 – 2015, as a part od research funded by the Croatian Science Foundation and the Ministry of Culture of Republic of Croatia. Lithic material was collected and analysed, and geological research of surrounding area was undertaken. The original site was destroyed by the wave action, and the artifacts were collected from the sea floor surface and Holocene mud. Analyses confirmed that artifacts belong to the Mousterian industry. This is also supported by finds of centripetal cores and scrapers. The other important issue of Kaštel Štafilić – Resnik is development of criteria for separation pseudo-artifacts that were modified by sea from artifacts. Comparation of geomorphology and lithic assemblage with open- air and cave sites will help us understand effcet of environment on chert and artifacts.