Conny Waters – AncientPages.com – During two days of exploration on the Sava River, a team of divers from the Museum of the Franciscan Monastery of Vrata Bosne made an extraordinary discovery.
At the bottom of the river in Tolisa, northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, divers found a large quantity of iron bars of different shapes, likely dating back to the 1st or 2nd century BC.
The discovery is undoubtedly a significant event in the archaeological record of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Prior to this find, the region had only one similar artifact in its collections.
Only a few countries in Western and Central Europe has larger collections of such prehistoric ingots. Neighboring countries like Croatia had one copy, and Slovenia two or three of them.
Behind this successful project is a local historian, Pero Matkić, devoted to Posavina region located along the Sava river, spanning from the Julian Alps to the Danube. Posavina’s large area covers parts of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, and has a rich history and culture.
Image credit: Muzej Franjevačkog samostana Tolisa Vrata Bosne
Pera Matkić noticed quite accidentally strange objects in the Sava’s waters, last year; he photographed them and sent to specialists, and so it’s started. Now, the discovery made in the Sava River is considered as one of the most important archaeological discoveries in the Balkans.
The two-day work in the water completed last Tuesday was led by a team led by archaeologist Krunoslav Zubčić and expert Nikica Spudić.
The works were coordinated by museum director Joza Jezerčić. What started with one man’s passion led to the involvement of a team of experts.
The number of the excavated iron bars excavated could potentially exceed the total number of similar artifacts known so far throughout Europe. Each bar is an evidence of ancient advanced technology and widespread trade contacts.
Source – Muzej Franjevackog samostana Tolisa Vrata Bosne
The excavated artefacts were secured in distilled water before the complicated conservation process
of the artifacts could begin. Otherwise, the sudden transfer of these ancient metal objects from water to air could damage them irreversibly. Researchers created the 3D model and topographic plan. Also chemical analysis is planned to determine the origin of the iron ingots.
It has been suggested that their source was ancient mines.
Additionally, archaeologists would like to reconstruct the trade routes connecting the area with Central Europe before the period of Roman expansion.
Written by Conny Waters – AncientPages.com Staff Writer
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