Iapodes

Bosnian and Herzegovinian archaeologist Branka Raunig had dedicated almost forty years of her scientific and research career to studying the Iapodes and their culture in the territory of present–day
Bosnia and Herzegovina. We can rightfully claim that she is one of
the few scholars in Bosnia and Herzegovina who had dedicated her
research to ancient archaeology. Moreover, she contributed to the
study of the ancient history of north–west Bosnia, since in her work
on material culture she pointed out the historical evidence about the
Iapodes that had been left by Greco–Roman authors (Strabo, Pliny
the Elder, Appian, Cassius Dio, Claudius Ptolemy, Stephanus of Byzantium and others). We can rightfully say that in Bosnia and Herzegovina she belongs to the circle of few female scholars who focused
on prehistoric archaeology in their research. What is more, there are
only a few women in Bosnian and Herzegovinian archaeological discourse dealing with the oldest periods of prehistory and antiquity.
In this context, apart from Raunig, we should also mention Milica
Kosorić, Vukoslava Atanacković–Salčić and Irma Čremošnik.
Although it has been ten years since her death, Raunig remains the
leader of the study of the heritage of Bosnian Pounje in ancient and
early Antiquity period. The paper dedicated to Branka Raunig will
consist of two, closely related, units. The first unit will be based on biographical data about this esteemed scholar, whereas the second unit
will be dedicated to her scientific and research work. Therefore, we
should mention that Raunig was born in 1935 in Sarajevo, and died
in 2008 in Bihać where she spent the majority of her professional career as the manager of the Department for Archaeology and History
of the Museum of Pounje in Bihać (present–day Museum of Una–
Sana Canton). She was the director of the said Museum for eleven
years (1971–1982). We should also note that she got her BA, MA and
PhD diplomas from the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of
Belgrade where her mentors were renowned professors of prehistory
Milutin Garšanin and Dragoslav Srejović. Although she worked in
a small, regional museum, her work was highly recognized among
scholars, as evidenced by the fact that Raunig published her papers in
Amra Šačić Beća
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all major archaeological journals across the former Yugoslavia (Glasnik Zemaljskog muzeja, Sarajevo; Wissenschaftliche Mitteilungen aus
Bosnisch–herzegovinische Landesmuseums Sarajevo; Godišnjak Centra za balkanološka ispitivanja, ANUBiH, Sarajevo; Zbornik krajiških
Muzeja, Banja Luka; Radovi Muzeja grada Zenice; Lika – izdanje Hrvatskog arheološkog društva, Split; Vjesnik Arheološkog muzeja, Zagreb; Opuscula archaeologica, Zagreb; Arheološki vestnik, Ljubljana;
Arheološki pregled, Ljubljana; Starinar, Belgrade; Arheološki pregled,
Belgrade and others). She also authored one monography titled “Art
and Religion of Prehistoric Iapodes” published by the Centre for Balkan Studies of the Academy of Art and Science of BiH. This is undoubtedly the most important work of this scholar as it collects all of
the important results of decades of her research.
In 1962, Raunig published her first paper in prehistoric archaeology
titled “Arms from Kostel near Bihać” in Zbornik Krajiških muzeja
(Collection of museums from Krajina). She published the first two
papers on the topic of afterlife of the Iapodes in 1968 in the most important scholarly journal in archaeology in Bosnia and Herzegovina
– the Herald of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The papers, “The Iapodian necropolis on Crkvina in Golubić” and
“The fragment of Iapodian urn from Golubić near Bihać”, represent
the initial research phase of the spiritual culture of the Iapodes during the archaeological career of Branka Raunig. These papers were
written as a traditional representation of the results of field and systematic research without a deeper methodological analysis and criticism which this archaeologist will have mastered in the later phases
of her research and make her work recognizable. During the 1970s,
Raunig published seven scholarly and research papers whose framework of topic was within he bounds of prehistoric necropolises and
settlements, sepulchral and sacral monuments. We should single out
two papers of the same title published in 1972 and 1975 – “Iapodian stone sepulchral and sacral monuments”. In these papers from
this phase of scholarly and research career, Raunig pointed out the
distinctiveness of the Iapodes within the assumed Illyrian ethnical
corpus. During the period of 1980–1990, Raunig published four papers: “Prehistoric necropolis on Gradina in the Ripač village”, “The
iron–age tomb from Ostrožac near Cazin”, “A few smaller unpublished bronze–age findings from the Western Bosnia”, and “Necropolis Dolovi in Golubić near Bihać from the Late Antiquity”. When it
comes to the last paper, we could even say that it is an exception
in her career because it is dedicated to an archeological research of
a site from the period of Late Antiquity, which was not typical for
DR. SC. BRANKA RAUNIG – NAUČNICA KOJA JE DALA NEMJERLJIV DOPRINOS
ISTRAŽIVANJU ILIRSKIH JAPODA NA TLU DANAŠNJE BIH
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her scholarly work. During the war–time period (1992–1995), she
published a series of papers in prominent archaeological journals in
Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region. During the post–war period, she published her most important work, the monograph “Art
and Religion of Prehistoric Iapodes”. Her final paper, “Crnopolje in
Ljusina – Bihać Region (Una valley)”, was posthumously published
in the Herald of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina
in 2010.
Her papers were quoted in all relevant publications about the study
of the Illyrian Iapodes. Moreover, her papers are often included in
the lists of recommended or mandatory literature in the syllabuses of
regional universities studying prehistoric archaeology. Though her
research, Raunig has introduced us to the magical world of the Illyrian Iapodes, one of the largest Illyrian communities that ruled the
valley of the Una river more than two millennia ago. In her papers,
she accentuated the daily lives of the Iapodes by following their deities, art, culture and other segments of cultural and historical development. She consistently followed the scientific methodology and
thus deserved an honorary place among the women who deserve
the respect of the scientific community of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Variants of fibulae with two spherical knobs present in the graves of the Iapodian community in the Una valley are distinguished by particular
features not found on their analogies from the neighbouring areas in southern Pannonia. Closer parallels are found further north, in the area of the Jastorf culture. In addition, a similarity between the so-called fibulae with nut-shaped bow and the so-called „Dänische Kugelfibeln“ has been suggested by some authors. Their interpretations usually emphasise the importance of amber trade routes, since it is a material featured prominently in Iapodic graves. The grave assemblages are analysed on the basis of chronology, typology and provenance.
The revised chronology shows a continuity of the presence of amber also during the use of the mentioned types, i. e. the 2nd–1st c. BC, which
differs significantly from the previous dating of this phenomenon into the Augustan age. The conclusions provide insights into the various
influences that shaped the material culture of the autochthonous communities situated on the periphery of the La Tène culture. New forms were integrated into the local costume in an original way.

The Late Iron Age metal finds discovered in 1999 in the hillfort of Semenič above Gaber pri Semiču in Bela krajina, together with the well-known cemetery on Pungart at Metlika, prove that the northern regions of Bela krajina belonged to the Mokronog group of central Slovenia, Dolenjska (Lower Carniola) and Štajerska (Styria). In Dolenjska the group's population was most probably formed by the Celtic Taurisci and the indigenes. The central and southern regions of Bela krajina were occupied by the Vinica group, to which at present only the settlement at Črnomelj and the great cemetery of Stražni dol near Golek pri Vinici can be ascribed. The boundary between the Mokronog and the Vinica groups lay in the territory of Podzemelj, as La Tène pottery from the settlement on the Kučar hill can be closely compared to that from sites of the Mokronog group, while cremation graves on the margin of the great tumulus no. 32 at Brodaričeva loza contained objects typical for the
Vinica group.
The population of the Vinica group has until now been attributed to the Iapodes. But the analysis of some types of grave finds shows that some are identical to those known from the sites of the Iapodes in Lika and in the Una valley, and some are just like those which appear in the Mokronog group. Moreover, numerous finds represent special types, known exclusively or predominantly from the sites of the Vinica group. The author's opinion is, therefore, that we must agree with Jaro Šašel, who in 1983 proposed that the Kolpa valley and Bela krajina (but not, of course, its northern regions) were settled by the south Pannonian tribe of the Colapiani.

The article gives an analysis of the first numismatic finds from the seaward slopes of Southern Velebit: 33 coins collected from the Sveta Trojica site near Starigrad Paklenica, one coin from the Dračevac hill fort in Jasenice and one coin from the Cvituša hill fort near Lovinac. The finds comprise coins of Hispanic, Greek-Illyrian and North African origin (Numidia, Carthage, Egypt), Roman Republican coins, a Venetian gazzetta and one unidentified piece (aes rude?). Collected during field surveys, the coins contribute to the study of the circulation of the oldest coins in the Velebit area, i.e. in the border area of pre-Roman Liburnia. Considering the location of the sites in question, the authors also list the routes through which the coins circulated in Lika.

The position of the river that Pliny the Elder calls Telavium and Ptolomeus Tedanios is the subject of an old controversy which is connected with the question of the presence of the Iapodi on the coast of the Kvarner Bay. Some Greek authors attribute this coast only to the Liburni or to some smaller units. (Hecateus and some later writers who rely on the tradition). Other Greek authors, especially Strabo and in some oi Plinius’ sources, are acquainted with the Iapodi on this coast. Pliny states that Telavius is the border of Iapodi (according to Liburnia historical inscription 10. 3, 140). According to Ptolemy (2, 16, 2) Telavius is placed in between Lopsika (Jurjevo, south from Senj) and Ortopla (Starigrad k/S or Stiinica). Pliny’s location can be interpreted only in one way: the analysis of the on text only shows that Telavius is found between Rasa (Arsia) and Nin (Aenona). There are no philological reasons to doubt in the accuracy of Ptolemy's data. Pliny and Ptolemy do not contradict one another. Analysing the geographical, ecological and cultural elements it is far more likely that the waiter-spring of Telavius is Žrnovnica, south from Jurjevo rather than Zrmanja. In this, as much as is some other reconstructions of historical times, the modern interpretation supports the A. Degrassi’s theses, it seems that in the 5/4 century B. C. some small ethne around Kvarner joined together under the name of Libunia and under the leadership of Iader they attacked Pharos (compare CIG II 1837 c.). During the 3rd century the union of the Iapodi penetrated to the west (Kvamer, south of Slovenia) and conquered over the coastal Liburni. This must have been the time when the border on Žrnovnica was formed, i. e., close to Žrnovnica. At the end of the 2nd and the beginning of the 1st century the Romans took over the Iapodi. It is quite possible that the part of the township between Rasa (Arsia) and Telavius by keeping the Liburnian importance in the ethnic sense helped the Romans and thus got their privileged position (Alutae, Flanates, Lopsi, Curictae, Fulfinates: Pliny, nat. hist. 3, 139). The author especially stresses the fact that the area under the Iapodian domination
does not coincide with its ethnical territory.

Sažetak doktorske disertacije (2015) o protopovijesnim zajednicama na sjevernom dijelu istočne obale Jadran (cijeli tekst na zahtjev).

Summary of doctoral thesis (2015) on the protohistoric communities in the northern part of the eastern Adriatic (full text available on request).