engleski

Circumstances of discovery of the first ceramic kiln in Northern Adriatic in Červar Porat in 1976

The oldest traces of walls on the west coast of the bay of Červar are dated to the period of the creation of the colony of Poreč (Colonia Iulia Parentium), under Caesar in the year 46 BC. The main ground plan of the production building of the villa rustica had its origin in the enlargement and building of the complex in the period of Emperor Tiberius. That was the same period in which Poreč and its surroundings, including the field of Červar, partook in the economic prosperity of the colony with olive growing and viticulture. At that time special attention was given to craftsmanship, agriculture and fishing. It was the time when, most probably, the vast areas of Červar Porat, Loron and Santa Marina formed a unique complex spreading over 1000 to 1500 hectares. That senatorial estate belonged to Sisenna Statilius Taur in the first part of the 1st century AD. He was the son of T. Statilius Taur who was a friend of Emperor Augustus, third most powerful politician in the Empire. Sisenna was a consul in the year 16 BC. He was one of the most powerful Istrian estate owners and bestowed on Rome the gift of the first stone amphitheatre. The first foundations of Roman buildings found on the eastern coast of the bay of Červar, the neighboring Loron, date back to the same period. At that time, a kiln for baking ceramics was in function as a part of Červar's villa rustica, and continued to be used until the end of the 1st century. Argil extracted from sediments on the eastern side of the shallow bay was used for production. Ceramic products were almost certainly shipped by sea to distant and nearby local areas, since that whole area was well known as a ceramic production area. There are strong indications that there was another, even stronger ceramic center owned by Calvia Crispinilla, situated on the eastern side of the bay, in Loron, from the time of Nero onwards. The center was specialized in the production of ceramic containers (amphora, vessels) and met the needs of the whole region of Poreč, while a certain amount of products was exported to other regions until the end of the 2nd century AD. After the production of ceramics was abandoned in the workshop of the villa rustica in Červar Porat, the inhabitants turned to fishing, olive growing and olive processing ; the ceramic kiln was destroyed and the soil was flattened over the area were it used to be. A ceramic production center was established on the other side of the bay of Červar, under the elevation of Loron, near the location where argil was extracted, due to the fact that the land around that place was not good for cultivation because of the type of soil. In the course of the 2nd century AD and at the beginning of the 3rd century AD there were no changes in the main ground-plan of the southern part of the villa rustica in Červar Porat, with the exception of some internal alterations and the filling up of former units (ceramic kiln and the "cistern" space - possible storage room). In the 3rd century AD, a new era of building and reconstructing of the Roman villa rustica took place. The ground-plan of the southern part was changed, as well as its function, as can be deducted from the new structures of the walls and the new spatial orientation of that part of the building. The purpose of the rooms was also changed. At that time a residential complex was built. It had a central heating system, a thermal area with a lavatory, a large hall of a maritime building of a possible administrator of the estate (dominus) situated in the former area of the villa rustica and the ceramic kiln. Earlier in the 2nd century a new agricultural production center for olive processing of great capacity was built. It was built on the elevation nearby, on the northern part of the remains of the former villa rustica. This center also shows signs of two stages of building and reconstruction. At the end of the 4th century AD, the inhabitants of the thus reconstructed maritime villa became Christians. While the agricultural production, as well as the processing industry, was gradually decreasing, the Roman Empire disintegrated. The inhabitants of Červar's villa did not escape the arrival of the barbarians and the fall of the cultural and living standards. At that time, the inhabitants strove to preserve their customs and beliefs, their everyday way of life and agricultural production. It was at that period, in the first part of the 6th century AD, that another reconstruction of the oil production facility took place. The mill stones for olive grinding were renewed and the old ones were built into the foundations of the partition walls of the storage area facing the sea, as Kasiodor noted. However, it is obvious that there was a sudden decline and impoverishment of the residential-production complex of Červar Porat, due to the invasion of the Avars and Slavs (599-611 AD) at the end of the 6th century AD. The central, western and northern parts of the villa were abandoned, empty. The heating system stopped functioning. The thermal area and the restroom were no longer used. The residential hall was destroyed. There were reconstruction works and smaller adaptations done in the semi-devastated rooms of the buildings, especially in the storage area of the oil mill in the north-western part of the production complex. Square fireplaces were built in the rough mortar floor of the residential part, while shallow Roman stone vessels placed in the rooms of the former oil production facility were used as auxiliary fireplaces for fire burning and food preparation. In conclusion, it must be pointed out once again that the production - residential complex in Červar Porat was built on the remains of another building dating back to the 1st century BC ; that the complex worked as a ceramic, residential, agricultural and production center from the 1st century AD to the 6th century AD ; that it had various building phases, and ups and downs in its progress or decadence depending on who the owners and inhabitants of the estate were, and on the social, political and historical changes that influenced the Istrian peninsula as a part of the 10th Roman region "Venetia et Histria". This archaeological complex represents a clear example of the continuous presence of Roman villas on the western coast of Istria throughout the centuries. The archaeological excavations and research conducted on the remains of the Roman villa rustica in Červar Porat lasted three years. The existence of two architectural units was established ; a ceramic facility with a kiln and the late antique residential part, and the agricultural production complex of the oil mill. Thanks to the full comprehension and collaboration on the part of the investor interested in building a hotel complex , the project for the hotel was modified and relocated. The remains of the Roman villa rustica were incorporated into the spatial planning of the residential, park and marina area, after partial conservation work, reconstruction of the brick-kiln, of the residential part of the building with small private thermae and the conservation of the oil mill remains. The landscaping solutions for the grounds surrounding the archeological complexes were so well designed that Červar Porat became the model of the successful cultural presentation for tourism of our historical and cultural heritage in 1980. Unfortunately, in the period from 1980 to 1990, due to the enlargement of the marina area and to disputes regarding ownership of the land inside and outside that area, the established archeological park was gradually laid waste. The reason for this lies in the fact that the park was used as a boat and boat material depot, and that it was partially left to deterioration because the conserved parts of the archeological heritage as well as the greenery were not regularly taken care of. Obviously, the exceptionally valuable solution of the presentation of the Roman brick kiln and oil production facility is almost completely useless now, though at one time it was successfully incorporated in the newly built settlement with the marina and it represented an exceptional contribution to the promotion, preservation and presentation of ancient Croatian monuments, at the end of the last century.

first ceramic kiln, Northern Adriatic, Červar Porat , 1976, circumstances of discovery

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