Greek presence in Croatia

Although the Greek colonies from the 8th century BC onward had widely settled in what is now Croatia, very few testimonies have been uncovered until now. 

Rare excavations by the Croatian archaeologists were carried out at Pharos, on the island of Hvar, where the Greek settlers arrived in 384 BC. The town made headlines a couple of years ago because of the peculiar shape in the plains around modern Stari Grad (see: Peculiar history of Pharos (modern Hvar). The fields are all drawn in a correct grit pattern that seems inspired by the Hippodamian plan of ancient cities. Every single plot measured a constant 181m x 905m; each such unit was in turn subdivided into five square parcels of 181m x 181m, corresponding to a realistic plot that could be tended by a single-family. 

The first-ever discovered and researched tomb of ancient Pharos has yielded cremated remains, together with weapons such as an iron sword and spear, and several coins, fragments of ceramics, bits of clothing, and glass beads and buttons. The tomb is expected to be part of a necropolis, which may appear after further excavations. 

[Picture from Archaeology News Network]

After a first assessment, scholars remarked that the cremation procedure was highly uncommon in those days. The remains found in other Greek necropolises in Dalmatia show that the deceased were entered with the rituals of their ancestors on the island of Paros. One such example has been found at Ise on the island of Vis. 

This particular grave at Pharos is believed to hold the remains of at least six people, although so far, archaeologists could only confirm those of a man, a woman, and a child. Other C14 dating and DNA analyses should shed more light on who was in this tomb and how they were possibly related. 

Also, the sword and the spear have survived in excellent condition and are the only weapons unearthed to this day in Croatia. The sword is of the kopis type, commonly known in Macedonia. Discovering a sword in a tomb suggests that at least one occupant was a warrior. 

Although Pharos is one of the oldest settlements in Croatia, we know very little about its layout and its occupation by the Greek colonists. Situated at the heart of the Adriatic, it would be fascinating to understand how the local population mingled with foreign communities such as the Greeks of Syracuse, the Celts, and finally, the Romans. Besides, it entirely coincides with the expansion of Macedonia initiated by King Philip and widely followed by his son, Alexander! 

Funeral rites of ancient Pharos remain obscure since many tombs were destroyed in the 19th century during construction works and land cultivation projects.