On the horizon of warrior graves from 5th century BC on the territory of the eastern Adriatic coast and its hinterland: the case of a new discovery in Vranjevo Selo near Neum

Pri arheološkom nadzoru za proširenje trase magistralne ceste Neum – Stolac 2006. godine obavljeno je zaštitno istraživanje na nalazištu Vidića guvno u Vranjevom Selu kod Neuma. Istraživanja su pokazala da je riječ o grobnom tumulu s ratničkim, vjerojatno višekratnim ukopima, na kojem se potom u kasnom srednjem vijeku nastavilo sahranjivanje pod stećcima. Kulturni su slojevi naknadnom izgradnjom guvna, nažalost, u znatnoj mjeri oštećeni, no ipak sačuvali su se posebno vrijedni nalazi materijalne kulture iz razdoblja željeznoga doba. Repertoar nalaza iz tzv. ilirskog ratničkog groba uklapa se u već poznatu kulturološku sliku neumskog užeg, ali i šireg južnodalmatinskog područja iz vremena 5. st. pr. Kr. Riječ je o vojnoj opremi navalnog i obrambenog karaktera, o nakitnoj garnituri nošnje te o priloženom bogatom simpozijastičkom keramičkom servisu. Tipološka odredljivost tih predmeta, koji s jedne strane odražavaju snažnu povezanost s glasinačkim te srednjobalkanskim horizontom kneževskih grobova, a s druge strane svjedoče o izrazitim importima iz klasičnog grčkog i makedonskog miljea, samo još jednom potvrđuju tezu o dobro strukturiranoj ratničkoj aristokraciji toga područja. Ilirske kacige nadregionalnog III A2–a tipa, kao i pojedini elementi nošnje i nakita, ukazuju na znatnu pažnju i važnost proizvoda iz domaćih, na obalama srednjeg i južnog Jadrana smještenih proizvodnih središta. Asocijacija takvih nalaza materijalne kulture u pojedinim grobovima nije odraz samo statusnog ili gospodarskog značaja, nego i vojno-političkog autoriteta mjesnih aristokracija koje su balansirale između kompleksnih odnosa regionalnih zajednica, sve snažnijih makedonskih utjecaja i penetracije italskih i grčkih kolonija na istočnome Jadranu. Zapravo, njihovim su se posredništvom običaji prilaganja u grobove raskošnih garnitura za piće i vojne opreme, uobičajeno tumačenih u sklopu prevladavajućeg modnog trenda onoga vremena, prenijeli i u znatnoj mjeri prilagodili potrebama kulturnih zajednica i na obalama istočnoga Jadrana.When archaeological supervision was set up to monitor the widening of the road from Neum to Stolac, in 2006, a rescue excavation was carried out on the site of Vidića guvno in Vranjevo Selo near Neum. Research confirmed the presence of a burial tumulus with, most probably, multiple warrior inhumations, which continued to be used as burial ground in the medieval period, when a cemetery was created under monumental medieval tombstones. A subsequent rebuilding of the site into a threshing floor damaged the cultural layers, but the valuable finds of the Iron Age material culture remained preserved. The inventory of the so-called Illyrian warrior grave fits perfectly into the already known cultural image of the Neum region and the broader southern Dalmatian territory in the 5th century BC. It consists of a full set of offensive and defensive weaponry, a jewelry set and an exceptionally rich ceramic symposiastic set. The typological determination of these finds demonstrates strong connections with the Glasinac cultural area and the Central Balkans horizon of princely graves, but, on the other hand, the imports demonstrate also a connection to the classical Greek and Macedonian sphere, thus confirming the presumption that a well-stratified warrior aristocracy existed in this area. Illyrian helmets of the superregional III A2–a type, as well as individual elements of jewelry and attire, demonstrate the special consideration and importance given to local products originating from the production centers on the costal area of the central and southern Adriatic. The association of such finds in individual graves is not only a reflection of the status of the deceased and their economic importance, but also a demonstration of the military and political authority of these local aristocracies which balanced between the complex relations of the regional societies, the ever stronger Macedonian influences and the penetration of the Italic and Greek colonies located on the eastern Adriatic. It was actually through their mediation that the custom of adding rich sets of drinking vessels and military equipment in the graves, generally interpreted as the dominant fashion of that period, was transferred and adapted to the needs of the cultural groups located on the shores of the eastern Adriatic