A new discovery in an Adriatic city gives us a new perspective on what life in ancient Rome might’ve looked like.
Archaeologists have just uncovered ancient Roman graves in Croatia, a popular tourist destination on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. The city of Zadar in Croatia is already well-known for its Roman ruins, but this new discovery in the Relja district of Zadar made by the University of Zadar’s Department of Archaeology, shows how Zadar might’ve been a well-known location throughout Rome’s development, as well.
“Today, the area where the site is located is one of the most vibrant and fast-developing parts of Zadar,” the department said. “However, back in Roman times, when the necropolis was first established, it lay [in] the suburban area.” The archaeologists note that cemeteries like this one were often situated against main roads, but usually outside city walls, “so along one such route the Romans buried their dead here for nearly 500 years.” Throughout the Relja area, archaeologists have uncovered about 3,000 graves so far, which include these newly-discovered 15 ancient burials.
Igor Borzić, a professor at the University of Zadar, spoke to Fox News Digital on May 3rd about these ancient discoveries. He was especially interested in how the burials “clearly illustrate the typical evolution of funerary practices over the centuries.” He explained how the graves and burials from the first and second centuries A.D., used cremation as the dominant preservation method. Within the graves, Professor Borzić found goods like ceramic bowls, small glass vessels, oil lamps, and other offerings.
In the second century, inhumation, body burials, became much more common. “Over time,” he said, “these burials tend to include fewer grave goods, reflecting a gradual shift in attitudes toward the afterlife, as well as broader changes in religious beliefs — from pagan traditions of classical antiquity to the eventual dominance of Christianity.”
One of the key finds of this discovery is a burial containing “carbonized remains” from the second or third century A.D. that could possibly predate Roman Zadar. Professor Borzić said that this burial is most likely from the prehistoric Liburnian period, and that the remains were food or grains, but the remains will be sent for analysis to confirm this. Another remarkable find within the burials has been 20th-century artifacts from the Italian occupation of Zadar. “[This] serves as yet another reminder of the city’s enduring importance throughout its history,” said Professor Borzić. “That importance largely stems from its strategic position along major maritime routes on the eastern Adriatic, as well as from its exceptionally fertile agricultural hinterland. Together, these factors ensured that Zadar remained a significant center across many different historical periods.”
All of the artifacts from the site will be “carefully processed and studied,” then put on display in the Department of Archaeology’s collection for a limited time.
When asked how unexpected it was to find these ancient Roman burials under a bustling tourist city, Professor Borzić said that it was too early to tell if what the archeologists found could generate new opinions in the field as to what ancient civilizations might’ve looked like, “although every single find tells its own story and deserves to be approached as such,” said Professor Borzić. “Modern archaeology increasingly relies on a wide range of laboratory analyses.” He noted that through careful analysis and processing, these burials could possibly reveal new insights into “origin, diet, health and causes of death.” He feels confident about this, saying to Fox News Digital, “It is precisely in this area that we believe new and potentially surprising information may still come to light.”
