In 2016 within the RED Project Roman Economy in Dalmatia: production, distribution and demand in the light of pottery workshops, 5 selected areas around the Podšilo Bay were geophysically surveyed. During the fieldworks in the Lopar protected area, located in the northeastern part of the Island of Rab a gradiometer, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) were used. The main aim of the project was to document presence of the Roman architecture in two areas of the bay’s hinterland as suggested earlier by finds of pottery and glass. Geophysical studies conducted in the Lopar area revealed presence of underground remains of ancient structures, probably from the late Roman period and connected with a ceramic production centre at the present seashore. The most interesting results were obtained for the area no. 4, the site where magnetic, georadar and ERT surveys revealed an ancient regular building at 0.4-0.6 m depth. The survey performed in the Lopar area clearly indicates that integration of different geophysical methods enables detailed and effective identification of buried archaeological structures.

Results of multidisciplinary research conducted on the island of Rab (Northeastern Adriatic, Croatia) are presented with particular focus on late Roman rural settlements and their economic activities. The settlement in Podšilo bay, Lopar peninsula, is analyzed in more detail, providing evidence on a vibrant local community engaged in diversified craft activities and the exploitation of local land and marine resources. Along with the specificities of its layout and organization, this site also presents unique possibilities to study environmental factors that influenced its setup and economy, but also its demise, tentatively placed within the 6th century AD.

The paper presents results of a geophysical survey conducted in Crikvenica, a town located at the north-eastern Adriatic Sea coast in Croatia. The main aim was to identify extent of a Roman pottery workshop discovered to the north of the present town, at the site known as “Igralište”. The performed magnetic and GPR surveys within the area of the modern playground in Crikvenica revealed a large number of anomalies that may be connected with anthropogenic activity during different periods, both in modern and ancient times. The first group consists of anomalies generated by remnants of the modern underground infrastructure. Magnetic and ground-penetrating radar maps revealed anomalies in the north-western part of the modern playground that can be very likely interpreted as remains of a large ceramic kiln dated back to the Roman Period, similar to the kiln discovered during the excavations located further to the north. Finally, the survey performed within the Crikvenica football stadium clearly indicates that the integration of different Ground Penetrating Radar and magnetic methods allows for a detailed and effective identification of buried archaeological structures in large areas.

This article presents the results of petrophysical analyses of limestones and sandstones used for the construction of the wall structures of a Roman rural settlement located in Podšilo Bay on Rab Island (Croatia). An on-site analysis of the walls indicated the use of different lithotypes, which is an uncommon case in the area. So far, no petrophysical properties of the applied materials have been tested, and their provenance has not been specified. The aim of this research was to determine their usability as construction materials in an attempt to determine the possible reasons behind the usage of multiple lithotypes and their suitability as building materials. The following procedure was used to address these issues: (1) determination of the petrographic characteristics of the rocks, (2) performance of tests to characterise the mechanical properties in a complex stress state of uniaxial tension followed by uniaxial and triaxial compression, and, finally, (3) determination of the internal structure of the rocks using methods based on X-ray imaging. Multi-proxy characteristics of the materials including numerous observations and methods were performed: optical microscopy used to characterise rock petrography and mineralogy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with EDS, as well as grinding tests; furthermore, mechanical properties were determined on cylindrical samples in accordance with European standards. X-ray microtomography using the XμCT method enabled microscopic observations and determination of the orientation of discontinuities and the rock structure. The performed analyses allowed us to distinguish three lithological types of sandstone and two types of limestone among the examined stone blocks. Stone blocks of fine- and medium-grained sandstone with carbonate binders, as well as sparitic limestone and mudstone with calcite veins, were used to build the studied structures. The analysed blocks showed traces of partial edge processing. Despite the defects in the material structure identified using XμCT, all the types of rock were characterised by high or very high strength. High values of longitudinal wave velocity confirmed the good quality of the material. These results contribute to a better understanding of the construction process and the related technological choices, and they provide the first dataset which can be used for the reconstruction of the building’s original appearance in the future.

Archaeological investigations conducted in recent decades have provided valuable new insight into the production of ceramic building material, pottery and amphorae in the Roman province of Dalmatia. Most of the recent research was conducted in the coastal area of Roman Dalmatia (mostly at its NW part, in the region of ancient Liburnia; map 1).

Roman building materials, especially brick and tiles (tegulae and imbex) marked a new era in the architecture of Roman Dalmatia. While imported materials seem to still form the bulk of the evidence, recently identified and definitely located local productions provide the possibility to place these products within a technological and economical framework. The in-depth analysis of the array of ceramic building materials (CBM) of the workshop of Sextus Me(u)tillius Maximus in Crikvenica (north-eastern Adriatic) evidences their forming methods and production technology, while some distribution aspects and their role within the rural economy indicate their relevance within the regional CBM market. This paper will highlight such aspects and place them within a wider debate on the onset of production, the organisation of rural property, and the transmission of technology and knowledge through the adoption of "Roman style" architectural solutions.